A Change in Fate
by A. Kitana
Summary: Fate's cycle is broken, and now Beryl might win! The key to restoring fate lies in the choices of a new friend with a destiny outside of Fate's grasp. Can they restore their way to a certain victory? Please, read and review.
1. prologue

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue!

Dimmer however is mine… of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway.

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

_**The fic starts here.**_

"Jeez dude, all these damn re-runs on Sailor Moon are getting old, when are they going to translate the ones with Pluto and all them anyway?" Mike was getting tired of watching the first episode of sailor moon, again. It must've been the 5th time they restarted the season this month alone. So he had asked the same question to the taller, black-haired guy sitting on the old ratty couch beside him entranced by the television, that he'd asked about 12 times through the first 10 minutes. This time was different though his friend actually heard now that the commercials came around.

"Shuddap and enjoy, Mike we live on Cape Breton Island remember? NO one remembers we exist anymore, we're lucky to be able to get cable let alone translations of anime. Hell, were lucky enough to even know what anime is, this is top of the line stuff for us so get used to it for at least another 2 years when you graduate you can join that anime club in New Brunswick you keep going on about."

"That place sounds too cool Dimmer you really got to read about it"

A grunt was his only response as the show came back on.

"Ah well, like you say, it could be worse", a shudder ran up and down his spine as the thought took him. "No anime at all."

Mike was fourteen nearly seven years younger than his best friend beside him. His lengthy but not quite so long as his friend's, black hair fell down covering his eyes making him seem a very lonely sight. Pulling his long bangs back away from his eyes to simply covering his cheeks now. He sighed again as he ruffled around in his now trade mark, plain dark blue coat he always wore even inside and only took off when he went to bed. People thought he had to be hot under all those layers of clothing, but truthfully he had gotten used to it a while ago.

"I am Sailor Moon, Champion of justice!" Dimmer chuckled as he watched one of many of his favorite shows. Not that his favorite shows had high prerequisites, if it was anime he liked it, no matter what. In fact he made a point of it. He was a strange person; he could never get bored of the same old things like everyone else. He just couldn't get tired of something he loved. Dimmer and his friend Mike were both artists. But Mike was a hell of alot better at it than he was. When Mike drew something he took more time and he couldn't compare with the amount of detail. While, Dimmer was a master of half an hour drawings and loved to turn everything anime.

Dimmer's own hair fell over his eyes, only his hair managed to reach his shoulder before he too brushed it back out of his line of vision. Taking some pride into mind about loving his, shoulder length, black hair. He had to fight for that. His parents were completely against it, along with the rest of his family. He wouldn't allow them to take it away. It was like trying to drag him away from anime he latched on to; in other words it wasn't going to happen. Little known to them, Dimmer would give up that fight as soon as he would his never-ending quest for anime. To him it was the same, you see. All male anime had either weird spiky hair or long hair. He would take what he could get.

The show was over, the v.c.r. stopped recording and Dimmer had to go. "Later Mike. I'll see ya tomorrow, eh?"

"Later Dimmer, see ya then." Mike watched his friend go as he let his dog out.

"BASTARD!"

Mike couldn't help but laugh as Dimmer once again started to yell at the mockingly dark streetlamp. Hence his name Dimmer. Whenever he walked down a lighted street at least one street lamp would turn off on him, therefore making everything a little dimmer.

"_Everything a little Dimmer_?" he repeated to himself, and mentally pictured a bunch of evil Dimmer's bouncing around on the streets. He ran back in his house slamming the door, fleeing the horrible images.

_**The Next Morning:**_

Arkand yawned as he got up. His eyes opened wide and he shook his head abruptly chasing out the scary image of his real name rushing into his mind. He mentally shuddered at the most horrid of the tortures that had lead his life thus far, and he had more than a few. He walked down stairs to his living room in jeans and no shirt. Picked up a playstation controller and played a game. He wasn't awake long enough to know what the game was. It didn't matter; he was pretty good at all of them. An hour later his vision finally stopped being so blurry so Dimmer could see what he was doing, or in this case what he wasn't doing. He wasn't playing a game; in fact it would look to most onlookers like he was trying to play Sailor Moon. He shrugged put down the controller and set up to watch the re-run.

That was when he heard a large crackling sound. His tired looking eyes still were not quite up to taking notice of the changing scenery in anything more than a lot of confusion.

It was probably because of the searing pain running up and along his entire nervous system.

"Heart attack?" He muttered questioning himself, as he felt his body slip from under his feet. "gotta cut down on the McDonalds…"

No, it was something more it had to be. It felt like his skin was ripped of his entire skeleton and reattaching itself. Than as abruptly as it came, it went away leaving a refreshing, strong wind blowing through his hair. He smiled relishing in the fact the pain was gone... before coming to a small realization.

"Strong Wind?" He opened his eyes and screamed. The clouds split apart as he flew through them at a speed he was certain people had no right to be going. His eyes watered from the pure speed as gravity was in full effect. All he could see was a blurred city beneath him before the G-force knocked him out. His last conscience thought was "Of all the ways to die I was not expecting this."(Well, there was another one but "This is gonna hurt" wasn't really said in a sane frame of mind and therefore we can ignore it)

"What the…?", He opened his eyes. Looking around he could see tall buildings stretching high into the air, but most of his surroundings were obscured some what by the 6 foot deep hole he was standing in. "Where am I?". There was some guy speaking too quickly for him to understand stretching his arm down as if offering him a hand. He took the hand grateful for the assistance. Stepping out from the crater he watched as a crowd of people standing around at the busy intersection, staring at him in awe. He didn't understand what was going on, so he turned to the man that helped him out and asked where he was, but the guy might as well have been speaking a different language for all he understood him.

Shaking his head, he turned away from the now babbling man trying to get his bearings. As he looked to the neon signs about the streets, he found he couldn't read them. The thought occurred that maybe that babbling guy really was speaking a different language, but right now he wasn't even sure what language he spoke. Why was he in a crater? How did he get here? Where was here!

**_End Notes_**:

Hi people. This fic is under revision. This is the new and improved, revised prologue. Due to the huge amount of continuity errors for later on in the fic I have decided to revise this mess up before continuing further. (in mild hopes this will destroy the small case of writer's block I have. Peace.


	2. lost, alone working at a kindergarden?

_Just forewarning_

_Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue!_

_Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway._

_Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…_

The young man looked around at his whereabouts removing his shoulder length, black hair from his eyes. He pulled on his denim jean jacket to straighten it out a bit. He bent down and dusted the dirt from the crater off his jeans. Working his way up he found most of the dirt on his white denim shirt had already stained in. He was doing his best to steadily ignore most of the babbling crowd as they spoke in jibberish as far as he could tell. He pulled his backpack further up on his back in a more comfortable position.

It was than that he seen some men in what he thought were police uniforms walking at a brisk pace straight through the crowd toward him. "This is probably not a good thing with me climbing out of a crater of some sort…".

Matters were worse than he thought when the officeres confronted him. They were only speaking in the same jibberish as everyone else, and getting very frustrated when he tried to talk back to them.

Now the officers were getting a little frustrated. They could usually get by with their English skills, but if you ever talked to a Cape Bretoner you'd realize someone with full English language abilities would still usually have trouble getting through the accent. "Okay John, what the hell we gonna do now? We can't get the report if we can't understand him, seems as if all we can do is bring him in and wait for an interpreter."

"Sounds good to me right about now, Pidge, this guy is really starting to drive me nuts!"

"Excuse me" came a voice behind them; "you said you needed an interpreter?" The young high-school girl had an inquisitive look to her that seemed to fit well on her face. The blue-haired girl seemed to be understanding better than they were any way, so the men thought they'd at least give her the chance before they had to take him in.

"Excuse me Sir, but might I act as your interpreter?"

"OH thank God! Finally someone who might jus' unerstan' what I'm sayin'!

"Well mostly. But my English still isn't the best could you please go slowly for me?

"No prob." He wrote down in his mind that he was speaking English. Strange how he could forget something like that…

"What? I am sorry I didn't understand that."

"Oh yeah you wouldn't know too much slang, I said "that-speaking-slow-will-not-be-a-problem-for-me"

"Well a bit quicker than that, my name is Amy, What is yours?

"Ummm... That's kinda strange I don't remember"

"NANI?"

"Hey that means "what" right?" Finally a familiar word from all this jibberish, maybe he could start making things make sense around here.

"Hai, I mean, yes it does, but you can't remember your name?"

"Nope, Damn yadon'tink I've go datamnesiating do ya?"

"Huh?"

"Damn! I mean I think I might have amnesia; you have no idea how irritating it is to talk this proper for me. I'm sorry if I go too quick sometimes"

"No prob," she giggled, "I'm a quick learner. But you might have a real problem. These guys need to report what happened."

"Well tell them the last thing I remember is getting out of that hole over there."

Amy repeated the young lost boys words leaving the officers before her dumbfounded. The two officers looked at one to the other. This just had to be complicated didn't it?

"Well tell him to come with us and will get his fingerprints and see where he lives, would you do us a favor? We're going to be in need of an interpreter, and we won't be able to get one for at least an hour. Could you come and interpret for him?"

"They asked me if I would came along as your interpreter. Would you like me to? I am sure there would better ones there."

"No, I mean please! If you don't have anything else to do that is. I would rather have someone I at least know the name of."

"It would be an honor for me. I usually don't get to use my English skills too much around my friends and I would like to learn more. I think I will get the chance if I interpret for you."

"Cool"

"Huh?"

"Uh. Sugoi?

"Oh, cool."

One of the police officers chuckled, "Well you two seem to be off to a good start, th squad car is down this way"

"Huh?" the lost boy gave a questioning look.

"Their car is over there"

"Oh. Okay than what are we waiting around here for?"

Amy asked them to lead the way, and the four started to move through the crowd toward the car. It wasn't a long ride to the police station, nor was they're much of a wait when they got there.

"Well we'll start running it through now." Said Pidge, "We'll keep you chaperoned tonight and see what they come up with in the morning."

"It will take until tomorrow to get the results, they want to keep an escort with you until than."

"Uh, Okay who's the person keeping an eye on me?"

Amy repeated the question

"Well, we were checking up on your records as well Miss Amy and we were wondering if you'd agree to take him out and tour him around. They don't want to put him in the cell tonight. Looks like the poor guy would be eaten alive by some of the other people we bring in. Besides the jails been filled with drunks these days, spotting monsters, and sailor scouts everywhere". He couldn't help but laugh at this. He'd seen more people to the cells this month alone than he had seen in his entire career.

Amy quickly developed a big sweatdrop, and did an extremely fake laugh. This had not gone unnoticed by her companion.

"Uuuh… if he was making another one of those horrible puns again, don't tell me. I don't want to hear it."

"Pun?"

"A joke that was either way too corny, or didn't quite make it far enough to actually be funny"

"Oh" she laughed, "No it was nothing like that, just something stupid, but he did request that I show you around Tokyo for the day until everything is figured out."

"Ya goin' to?" Tokyo. Another thing he'd have to landmark in his mind. Great, he was in Japan. At least he had a vague idea where he was now. Now it was just a question of where he was from. Hopefully the police would figure that one out though.

"Sure, why not?"

So she gave the police her permission, and they walked out of the station. It was only early but the sun was already going down. The evening was here and the street lamps were on, but they made little difference as far as helping you see yet.

"Well I'll be happy to show you around, but you at least have to have a name for me to call you by.

"Good point, but what name to take? Hmmm…" Suddenly the streetlight above them went out, Dimmer's eye twitched for some reason, and yet it gave him an idea. "How about Dimmer?"

"Why Dimmer?"

"Don't know, just came to me"

"Alright than, Dimmer, what do you want to see first?"

"No clue. What's to see?"

The two simply walked around for the rest of the daylight hours, Amy learning lots of English slang, Dimmer picking up on bits and pieces of Japanese, Amy showing the way around, Dimmer making lots of puns, and jokes, and both generally having a good time.

The night was getting late. Amy was showing Dimmer her apartment, and was saying, "If you can't remember where the police station is, here's where I live, and this is my phone number if you can't remember where I live."

"Well, I usually don't take girl's numbers down this quick, but if you insist"

Amy, after hanging around with him all day, knew the small joke was in fun and responded in kind. Even though, she was still blushing. "How would you know Mr. Amnesiac, for all you know you could be a huge playboy."

"Ooo good one, but you know? Some how I just doubt that."

"Well you seem cute enough for it, even if you are a little blunt." It didn't take long to figure out what irked him, and she enjoyed teasing him on it. Before he could respond she was already through her now closed door laughing to herself.

"Hey!" she heard from the other side of the door, "I AM NOT CUTE!"

"Good night Dimmer." She called out from inside. No she couldn't understand why someone wouldn't like to be called sweet, or cute, or anything else like that. No matter, it worked just the same.

Dimmer stood outside the door and wondered to himself, "So I should review the day me thinks. First, I'm in Tokyo. Second, I can speak a total of maybe ten or twelve words in Japanese. Third, I just realized I don't know where I'm gonna sleep tonight. Fourth, I don't know who I am, where I'm from, and I have to wait until tomorrow to find out anything. I think I'll put down today as interesting to say the least. Oh well, there's a park Amy showed me about a mile down the street, I'll see if all the benches are taken." Dimmer looked at Amy's name, address, and phone number. "I kind of wish I had some change to call her in the morning, I hope collect calls work here."

Our eyes turn to the park as the young man slept on a bench. He was pretty tired from the day before. His eyes drearily opened as the young man got up, obviously not quite realizing where he was. "Mmmm… I need game…" He got up on his usual routine looking to kick the ass off whatever innocent game that happened to be in his playstation 2. It could've been the cold air that did it, or maybe it was the dew soaked ground he was walking on with only socks that first clued him in that what had happened yesterday was not a dream but memories.

"Memories! The first thing I thought of when I woke up was games! I must really like games!" Dimmer was awake now. He was also hopping back towards the park bench he'd slept on to get his shoes.

"Aah…ah...ahah... Cold, jeez that's cold!" Now to find that police station. Maybe he could get them to run by Amy's so he could give her his thanks. "Wonder where I'm from?" he thought a little curious to his own identity. "Well! Find out soon, I guess."

Through the maps and great directions Amy had given him, he managed to find his way to the station where the cops were already waiting for him. They looked disheveled, and bleary eyed. "Must not have gotten much sleep last night I guess. Ohayo!"

They both looked up. There he was. The young man whose mysterious entry into Tokyo had kept them up all night trying to locate his fingerprints. Nothing had come up and they had searched every English speaking country there was. All for naught. This kid had popped right out of nowhere and fell into their laps. They couldn't deport him without knowing what country he was from. It would take one more day give a general search everywhere else, if that failed, which for some reason he thought it likely, No one would know what to do. Mainly because that had never happened before. He could only imagine the government accepting him as theirs, but not as their responsibility. The kid would have no place to go, and being unable to understand Japanese wouldn't likely be able to get a job easily either. He didn't know what to tell the cheerful young man in front of him who was hoping to get a piece of his missing past handed to him.

His partner suffered the same doubts. He knew nothing would probably come up, but at least seen to it, after one of the street officers notified him of where this kid slept that night, that he would not be disturbed from there as long as he didn't do anything wrong. "Shit", he thought to himself "All I can do is give this kid a park bench to grow old and die on".

After things being explained to him, Dimmer could tell these two men did everything in their power to find out who he was, they would either know tomorrow, or they would never know. And from the sounds of their voices he thought he knew which one was more than likely to come up. "Well if that's the case, where do I go from here?"

The station interpreter translated the question. Pidge leaned back on his office chair, and glared out the window not able to look into the kid's eyes to tell him, "I'm sorry kid, as of now you're more than likely homeless."

Dimmer's eyes bulged after the translator repeated Pidge's response. He stood up a little bewildered. Of course they couldn't help him, they did as much as they could though. They couldn't do anything else, and he would thank them for their wasted efforts anyway. "Thank you for trying, I know you did everything in you're power to help me". Dimmer got up to leave.

"Not quite everything yet", Pidge stood up. Something had come to him. "I can't do much, but I can offer to get you tutored in Japanese." His partner looked up at him questioningly. "Well there is this teacher that has a lot of built up tickets that we might be able to turn into warnings for her, should she do us a favor." His partner and the translator chuckled together, now getting the idea. The teacher was infamous for her speeding in and around town, she would be the perfect victim.

Pidge's partner, John, gave him his oldest son's old school uniform so he had something go in. The translator simply smiled, having all the former proceedings explained to him. This kid might make it anyway as long as he wants to work for it.

Dimmer came form the station more cheerful than a normal homeless man would've been. "The kindness of strangers" he smiled to himself. He'd see this through yet.

_**The Next Morning**_

"Well, this is the school" He thought to himself. The uniform was fine for now, but he had to be careful not to get it dirty. He didn't know how he would get it clean. He really didn't stand too much out in the crowd he found out. Though most guys had shorter hair than his. He hoped it wasn't school policy to get it cut, besides not being able to afford a haircut, he really liked his hair long the way it was... though he wasn't really sure why… He walked into the school wondering what kind of people would be in his class.

_**Middle of Class next week**_

Dimmer sat in the middle of the classroom surrounded by three- year olds. "Ugh" was the only thought in his mind as he raised his hand along with the kids to answer one of the next questions the teacher was asking. "This would probably be a lot more embarrassing if I knew anyone around here that might see me. As it is though, I should be able to bare it."

His teacher sensing his thoughts smiled reassuringly at him. Must be one determined young man to even try to stay to endure this. There must be some other way I can get the poor guy to be tutored. At least he was good with the kids; they seemed to gather to him like bees to honey. Mind you he didn't look too thrilled about becoming their role model, but he accepted it with a smile and a joke. He always seemed to take everything in stride, and he was learning the language extremely quickly. Then she winced along with him as one of the students let out a part scream, part cry, part dog whistle. "Of course he may have had some added incentive to get out of here too," she thought as she went over to care for the crying youngster. "But really, this isn't where he belongs."

A knock came at the door, and the teacher looked over her shoulder to call who ever it was to come in. Dimmer smiled wondering who it was that had sent all the kids laughing and cheering towards the door. Mostly he smiled though cause it drove them away from him. "Icky… kids…" He stood up from his spot to help the teacher with the child that had fell and scraped his knee. He was trying to hear over the clatter of the kids, to see if he might get a clue as to who this assistant she had told him about earlier was. He did manage to here their voices in the hall. "I must have really good hearing," he thought to himself.

"See you Serena, we'll meet up after school, try not to be late today?"

He heard giggling "Sure Amy, have fun with the kids"

"Dimmer!"

"Huh?" he just realized the teacher was talking to him."Oh sorry"

"She smiled don't worry about it, this is my helper…"

"Dimmer!"

"Yes, thank you Amy this is my helper Dimmer… NO… I mean Dimmer this is my helper Amy. Amy you know him?"

"Hai" Dimmer answered for her.

"This is your tutor class you told me about the other night?" asked Amy.

"Hai" Dimmer answered Amy.

"So, you two have already met?" The teacher asked confused

"Hai" Dimmer answered his teacher.

Amy looked at Dimmer " Can you say anything other than "Hai" Dimmer".

He smiled "Hai".

"Oh no I got him started."

"Hai"

The teacher a little amused, yet irritated at the one-word answers wisely decided to stop this before he turned this into some kind of run-on gag like he usually did. "Dimmer?"

"Hai?" he smiled. Funny, I thought she'd tell me to shut up by now.

"Shut up"

He let out a dejected, yet rather funny, "Aaww" and pouted along with some of the kids. Amy and the teacher just laughed.

"So Miss Grant, how has he been coming along?"

"He is doing quite well, in fact he probably understood about one third the words we've said"

"What?" Amy didn't think she heard right, just the last week he could hardly speak a word.

"She said, and I quote 'He can probably understand one third the words we've said', and she was incorrect. I understood all of what was said, though the honorifics really baffle me."

"You can understand us that well, Dimmer? Your progress is amazing. I've never heard of anyone learning that fast."

"Well I listen a lot to the people by the park, and with your extra tutor classes I've been having, and my teacher's help I've been learning the basics, slang, and many advanced words from you all in one go. Besides I gotta eat and I'm not gonna be able to if I don't speak the language."

"Well Dimmer you know my fridge is always open to you"

"Muchly appreciated Aimes, It's been pretty much your generous fridge keeping me alive this week."

"Well Mr. Dimmer, if it's a job you need, I can convince the school to hire you on as my part time helper."

"You mean like Amy?"

"No, Dimmer I'm a volunteer tutor, I think she means help with the kids."

"Really? That'd be great!" Maybe I can finally get these clothes washed he thought to himself.

"Alright then I'll bring it up to the principal after class" and maybe I won't have to sneak you into my class anymore, why do the police always seem to pick on me? That was her line of thinking before the one of the kids asked her about the washroom.

She laughed "Well, on with the day than."

**_Endnotes._**

This chapter has been revised. MWAhahahahaa!


	3. No place like home?

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

***************************************************************

"Hey Amy, Did you here the news?"

"Hi Serena, what news?"

"They say the guy who smacked into downtown Tokyo was seen at my school!"

Amy laughed. She forgot to tell her friends about Dimmer, the fact that he fell out of the sky had pretty much evaporated in her mind until she thought about it. Usually she wouldn't forget something important like that, but after talking to Dimmer, he seemed so normal you tended to forget the abnormal things that brought him there. Of course, the fact he didn't like to be called sweet, or most other cute names, often would prefer to be part of the minority than any majority, and suddenly popped out with songs, bad puns, strange but funny words, (like aardvark), and meow for no apparent reason she could think of, well than again maybe falling from the sky wasn't the strangest thing he did. But it seemed all in character for him, it just seemed more or less like those are the things you should've always seen in Dimmer.

"Earth to Amy! Amy! Jeez Amy, snap out of it!"

"Oh sorry about that Serena what were you saying?"

"She was saying that she heard the young guy who fell from the sky was supposed to be a hunk."

"Oh Lita, when did you get here?"

"Sometime during your space out, what was that all about anyway?"

"Well, now that you bring it up, I know the young man who you two are talking about. Serena mentioning him just reminded me about him that's all." 

"WHAT?!" Lita and Serena shouted together.

"You know him?" Serena wined closing on Amy from her right

"And you didn't tell us?" Lita said in the same tear-stained tone of voice, closing on Amy's left.

Amy smiled and blushed with a big sweat drop on the back of her head, "Sorry"

"Well your going to introduce us now right?" Serena said while smiling with an evil look in her eyes.

"Of course she is Serena, after keeping it from us all this time it would be the only proper thing for her to do." Lita was declaring it as if just trying to go against this thought would cost someone something dear. All Amy could do was let out a sigh.

"Wait a minute guys I forgot. I don't know where he lives." Amy stated just remembering this now, "The girls are right, I haven't even asked him anything about where he's staying! I really should try to find out a bit more how he's handling things. Of course I could swear I asked him that before..."

Needless to say both girls were steamed at her. "What?" Serena was saying, "Well than how did you meet? Are you close? Do you even know his name?"

"Yeah Amy, spill it"

"Ok here's how we met." 

Cut scene. Please put long flashback here.

"And that's how I came to tutoring him." 

"So he comes to your house for lessons and supper on Tuesdays and Wednesdays does he?"

"Yeah, but he hardly needs them anymore. It's only been about two weeks, and he has pretty much learned most of the language, so I've decided to move him on toward the kanji."

"Okay than it's settled." Lita said triumphantly.

"What's settled?"  
"Simple," Serena offered, "we come over tomorrow to meet him, should we bring Rei?"

There was only one thing Amy could say and it was the word that Dimmer had gotten her used to of using, "Ugh".

In the background Lita was answering Serena's question. "Nuh-uh she has been searching the streets up and down thinking it must have been some kind of Nega-spy. She would probably pin one of those wards to his head before he says a word she's gotten that paranoid over this."

"Well we have to tell her sometime, she is starting to creep me out with all this X-files stuff."

"Of course we'll tell her, we'll just make our first impressions tomorrow, and invite her up the next night. That way she won't ruin our fist impressions with hers"

"Okay, sounds good. What time should we show up tomorrow, Amy?"

"Seven-ish probably" she sighed, at least that'll give me two hours to help him out with the kanji.

"Hello Dimmer, How are you today?""

"Not bad Aimes, Miss. Grant giving me that job really helped out! I also got a job offer at the arcade in the mall. I'm going in for an interview tomorrow."

"That's great news Dimmer! Do you think you'll be able to handle two jobs at once?"

"Well, I'm at least gonna give 'er a go"

"Well, we won't have a lot of time tonight so let's get started on the kanji"

"Kanji? Finally gonna teach me how to read huh?

"Yeah, but a few friends of mine have threatened my life if I don't introduce you to them."

"Why's that?"

"They want to meet the guy who caused a crater in down town Tokyo."

"You sure that's okay talkin' about to strangers?"

"Oh, don't worry about these girls, they know how to keep a secret."

"K Aimes, I trusts ya. Just tell me one thing. Are they cute?"

"Dimmer…"

"What?"

"Ugh"

"What I warn you about stealing my lines?"

"You can't warn me with anything. Keep trying Dimmer, but both you and I know you have nothing on me. "

"Dammit, are we going to get to work or what?"

"I swear, the only way I can get you to work is out do you in comebacks first."

"Well, you gotta admit, getting to work makes a quick subject change when the conversation stops going my way."

"Ugh… just open the book Dimmer."

2hrs. Later

So... this one means spirit huh? Cool."

A knock sounded at the door.

Amy got up and yawned. "Looks like my friends are here Dimmer, I'll get the door."

"Okay I'll just take this chance to raid your fridge."

"You know I think you and Serena are going to get along great" Amy laughed as Dimmer stuck his heads in her fridge. "I wonder if he will even come out of there in the next half an hour." Amy laughed to herself as she walked toward the door. 

"Amy" An irritated Lita called from behind the door as she knocked impatiently. "Are you gonna keep us out here all night!"

Dimmer, never able to resist a jab, called out " That depends on how much you complain!"

"Dimmer!" Amy scolded while closing the fridge door on his head, " Come on in girls, don't mind him he's always like that" and opened the door for her friends.

Lita and Serena jumped in the door looking for the mysterious young man that had all of Tokyo looking for him. "So…?" Lita asked.

"Where is he?" Serena finished her friend's question for her.

"He's in the fridge where every other young male would be!" came a muffled call from Amy's kitchen. Amy just laughed as her friends scrambled over each other to be the first to see him. When they finally got into the kitchen all they could see was Dimmer's dirty jeans, and Dimmer's jean shirt, which looked like he slept in it. (He probably did, but they didn't know that). 

"Hey" came the pathetic greeting from the guy who they went through all this trouble for.

"Umm… Hi!" Serena would not be perturbed. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew there had be something about this guy, as normal as he seemed, or well… other than his complete informal greeting to strangers that is. "My name's Serena," she stuck out her hand in the universal sign of friendship.

Dimmer finally looked up from Amy's fridge at this. The 5"5 blonde with pig-tails down to her ankles was holding out her hand to him. He smiled. "I'm not exactly sure who I am, but people have taken to calling me Dimmer" He took her hand "nice to meet you Serena".

Lita smiled and held out her hand as well, "Lita, and it's nice to finally meet you too. Amy's told us a bit about you, but has seemed to skipped out on a few things."

"Not possible" Dimmer took her hand too "Amy's not one to leave much out, if ya get her goin', but anything you missed I'll be glad to fill in, after all any friend of Amy's is a friend of mine."

"Oh" Serena said waving off Dimmer's curiosity about Amy leaving anything out, "Don't worry about it, she just forgot to ask where you're staying that's all."

"Oh, right I forgot to mention that didn't I, I live down by the park."

"But Dimmer" Amy spoke out looking thoughtful, "How can you afford an apartment down there? They're kind of expensive. If you don't mind me asking. Besides you must spend a lot of time down there if you learned all the words you said you learned down there."

" Uh… yeah" Dimmer laughed standing up straight, while scratching the back of his head growing a big sweat-drop. " Y...y...you could say that!"

"Dimmer. You only get like that when there's something you're not telling me, and you have only been in Tokyo about two weeks. You should not have that much to hide."

Lita, feeling a bit left out of the conversation, thought about how the topic itself was making him nervous. She wondered and decided all at once.

"Really Aimes, you know as much about me as I do!" Dimmer was saying.

"Well in that case" Lita interrupted while picking up her purse, "Why don't you show us your apartment? Me and Serena will have to go home that way anyway and I hear the apartments down that way are really something!"

"Ooo, YES! Please Dimmer?" Serena pleaded not catching on at all, but she did want to see one of those apartments.

"Well it… uh. It's kind of a mess right now."

"Nonsense Dimmer, if you've seen Serena's room you've seen a mess, and now I'm curious too." Amy caught Lita's hints right away. 

Letting out a rather large sigh, Dimmer went to get his coat. "Okay but none of ya are gonna like it."  
"Eh?! He's got a thing for jeans, doesn't he?" Lita whispered to Amy as Dimmer picked up his jean jacket and backpack.

"Yes, it seems so, but he doesn't have a lot of stuff either. He didn't have much money when he arrived, and he's struggling now." Amy whispered back.

"Ooh. Money's tight is it?" Serena said in an encouraging, loud voice. She went over and gave Dimmer a good pat on the back. "Well don't worry we'll do whatever we can to help right girls!"

Amy and Lita looked a little embarrassed as a sweatdrop formed on each of them as they smiled a nervous yes.

"Ha ha, that's great, no subtleties from you, eh Serena? That's good I thought everyone here was going to be like the prude over there." Dimmer laughed.

Amy laughed off his insult, knowing the joke for what it was, than stuck her tongue out at him. 

"Oh now, I can be subtle when I wanna be", Serena said in a voice that sounded like it was holding something back. "But no more dawdling I want to see where you're staying, I can't be a good lot of help to you if I don't know where you live."

Dimmer smiled appreciative at her, " alright than, but don't say I didn't warn yas." 

And so they went down toward the park talking about exactly what he remembered, and went through a few good jokes and a lot of bad puns. Seems he and Serena were trying to find out who would be the master of the most horrible puns ever known. Neither Amy nor Lita figured out who won, they were too busy groaning at the utter stupidity of most of them to pay too much attention.

When they arrived at the park Dimmer got everybody to keep their eyes closed for a few minutes as he took the blanket out of his bag and laid it neatly down on his bench. He threw a few things in the trash bin beside it, took out a flashlight and stood it up like a lamp, and placed his pillow on the side of the bench opposite to the trash. "Ta da, you can open you're eyes now." Dimmer said somewhat embarrassed by the circumstances.

The three opened their eyes to the most bedroom look-alike park bench any of them would ever see. Lita was the first to speak.

"You're kidding, right?"

Amy shook her head. "I figured as much. Why didn't you tell me, Dimmer?

"I'm telling ya now, does that count?" Dimmer replied a little sheepishly, not exactly sure what any of their reactions would be.

"Well… it does look a little cozy," Serena thought out loud

"Serena!" Lita shouted, "This is serious!"

"It isn't that bad" Dimmer whispered mostly to himself.

"Maybe not to some one who can't remember anything better, but I can quite easily say this is well below the poverty limit Dimmer." Amy was a little ashamed. The thought he would have no real place to live hadn't even crossed her mind.

"Quite right Amy," Serena said, putting a little force into her voice. " And I know exactly what to do!"

That earned her some raised eyebrows amidst Amy and Lita, and a puzzled glance from Dimmer. Serena just smiled with a look that she had everything figured out.

Endnotes: ^^ hello again, wasn't expecting to update so soon, but here I am. 

*snickers* Dimmer and his bench. Jeez, I'm not writing this stuff, its writing itself. This chapter is a little short for the standards I'm trying to hit, so pretty soon I'm gonna try to make them a little longer. Cliffhanger! Kinda… Hey can you guess what Serena's plan is? 

If you can tell me!

That way maybe I can figure it out… Well I'll see what comes to me in the next update of 

A Change of Fate. Hey! were up to chap.3 already when does fate start to change anyway?

Read and Review, please and thank you! 


	4. In the End, It's All About the Cheesy Po

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

The girls and Dimmer are walking toward the temple, still a little nervous about Serena's idea.

"You've got to be kidding!" Lita whispered fiercely in Serena's ear, "Rei is not going to go for this!"

"Ssshhh!" Serena whispered back, "if she puts up with Chad than she shouldn't have any qualms about putting up Dimmer too. Especially since Dimmer needs it more than Chad does."

Lita backed off. Serena did have a point, but Rei was going to have a fit. Amy wasn't being any help either. She was just watching this go down, wondering how it would play out. Meanwhile, Dimmer still didn't even know where they were headed let alone know anything about Rei, or how she was trying to hunt him down, to try to exorcise him. (I have no idea if I spelled that right) 

"Really girls, I appreciate the concern and all, but I've been fine on the park bench. A few of the guys down at the police station and I have become buds, and they look after me here. So it's not as bad as it seems. Why don't I just go back…." Dimmer ended his rambling, which no one was paying any attention to any way, as he saw the giant building in front of him. "Umm... If I'm not mistaken that would be a temple, right?"

"Yup, and if I can help it your new home." Serena said rather proud of the idea herself. "There's no room or board, and they supply the food!"

"Rei will probably be inside Serena perhaps we should let her know before bringing it up with her grandfather." Amy pretty much figured out that Serena would probably go straight to the old priest himself. He was willing to accept anyone who would help with the temple. With only him, Chad, and Rei living in the huge temple by themselves it could be a lot of work. 

Serena stopped a bit stunned by Amy's statement, and smiled nervously as she scratched the back of her head and laughed. "Of course Amy, I wouldn't even think about going around Rei, heh heh, she is a friend after all." A stuck up friend, but a friend none the less. Serena sighed silently to herself. This is going to be a lot tougher than it had to be, but Amy's right. I should at least tell her. After all, she can't be too upset with me dropping off a cutie right at her doorstep can she? Of course she knew the answer, Rei could get really upset about absolutely anything whenever she wanted to be upset. 

In the temple the raven-haired girl prayed to the flame, the silence beckoned around her through the darkness of the room. Serena, Amy, and Lita are here, she smiled to herself. She could sense her friend's power coming toward the door. She felt no need for rush since none of them seemed alarmed or scared. Though the meatball head was a little miffed about something. "Well," she said to herself, "I should go see what they want." She was trying to locate the stranger from the skies through the sacred fire, but it seemed if the rumor was even true than this stranger knew how to disguise his aura well, or he had just your average amount. She was pretty much ready to dismiss it as a rumor. Mind you some one had better explain the crater in that intersection.

Serena was about to knock on the shrine room door when Rei had appeared in front of her.

"AAIIEEEEEEEE!!, Rei don't do that!"

"Well maybe you wouldn't have been so startled if you were paying more attention!!" Rei wasn't too pleased after Serena screamed in her face.

Lita and Amy were too busy trying to coax Dimmer out of the tree he was scared into after Serena's screech to pay much attention to the following argument. It was five minutes into sticking their tongues out at each other before Dimmer finally interrupted, "Uh… if this is a bad time we could come back tomorrow" he was still trying to find away out of this. The temple more or less intimated him on its size. "After spending the last month and a half on a bench anything seems pretty big I guess". He thought to himself.

"Huh, who is your friend Serena?"

"Dimmer meet Rei, she's the priest's daughter. Rei this is Dimmer he's the guy who fell from the sky a few months ago, he's been sleeping on the park bench."

Dimmer, as a reflex from being introduced to so many people that night stuck out his hand without realizing how Serena introduced him. "Hi Rei nice to meet you"

"Likewise Dimmer" she took his hand. 

After shaking hands they both blinked at each other and looked at Serena. Dimmer slapped himself in the forehead as Rei yelled "What?!" 

Which was followed by a much quieter "did she have to mention I sleep on a park bench during the introductions?"

Amy and Lita just had big sweat drops on their heads. And both said together "It's a long story.

INSERT ONE LONG STORY HERE

By the end of the long story, everyone was sitting in Rei's room with a few more candles lit, and were drinking tea and having snacks. Amy was just finishing the story "and that's all there is to it."

"Well, no kidding. You say he fell straight from the sky? I don't sense anything strange about his aura at all."

Dimmer answered for Amy, "Well that's what they tell me, but I don't remember it. Thanks for the tea by the way."

Rei smiled "You're welcome, Dimmer. It's nice to have company with manners for a change." 

Serena took that as a cue to stop shoving food in her mouth, and smile a sheepish apology. She than went right back to putting as many pastries in her mouth as she could swallow at one time. "I can't help it Rei!" she said as she talked around the food, "its just soooo good!"

Rei sighed to herself "there goes my last stash for the rest of the week." Out loud she continued on with the conversation, ignoring Serena. "So you've had to resort to sleeping on the park bench huh?" she glared at Amy and Lita "and so you guys brought him here?"

Both girls pointed at Serena hoping to direct any incoming wrath toward their unsuspecting friend.

"Well Serena," 

Serena looked up like a deer caught frozen in the headlights of an oncoming 18-wheeler. "Here it comes" she squinted waiting for the screaming to begin.

"Congratulations, you finally came up with a good decision all by yourself."

"Huh?" was Serena's only response. She didn't know whether to be relieved she wasn't in trouble, proud of her praise, or insulted by the way it was given, so she took the one emotion that she knew how to do well. Confusion.

Rei thought the answer obvious, not something to be confused about. Mind you she was used to that out of Serena, maybe she should get a second opinion. "Well," she turned to the other girls, "the temple is to help those in need right?"

Amy and Lita face fault together, but are up in a flash. "Of course it is, we knew that you'd help him out, right Amy?"

"Never a doubt" Amy smiled nervously.

"Great," Rei stated a little suspiciously at her friends "it's all settled, Dimmer I'll make up the schedule for you're chores after we talk with grandfather. The rest of you should get going. It's getting late."

"Okay Rei," Serena hugged her "thanks for taking him in"

"It's not up to me you know, it's up to grandpa." Even though she knew they were desperate for help and her grandfather would accept anybody.

"We'll drop by tomorrow to see how everything's made out okay," Amy said on her way out. "Don't forget Dimmer, You have to help Miss. Grant tomorrow morning."

"Yes mom, thank you, I probably never would've remembered if ya didn't tell me." He answered sarcastically. Sometimes Amy could be a real nag. 

Amy just laughed, "Bye guys, see you tomorrow." 

"Come up to my house tomorrow Rei, I'll replace your pastry stash."

"Wouldn't miss it Lita, I'll see you then. And thank you."

Next Morning:

Dimmer was nervous. Rei's grandfather was walking around him slowly. "Trying to rate his potential" they called it. As far as Dimmer was concerned it was just plain disturbing. He felt like a piece of meat. It was a little less disturbing though, on account of that her grandfather already said he could stay if he helped out with the chores, and participated in the mandatory martial arts lessons. Her grandfather was just looking to see how far he would be able to take him in the lessons.

His mind slipped into thinking about working with the kids that morning. The job was only supposed to be until he found a new job, and the arcade was pretty much a sure thing after having talked with the manager. And now the school wanted to keep him for the rest of the year now that the kids got attached to him. He was going to be doing temple chores and martial arts as well. He was doing the calculations out in his head, and it said not including nights, he'd have about five out of seven days at work. Now he didn't have to pay room and board he'd take a bit of his savings and buy some thing to eat to celebrate.

"Alright!" The short, old, but extremely active priest shouted, I can see you've had no training in the arts thus far, but you do have a lot of potential, I will have you and Chad train together tonight to gain further analysis of your potential. Now I hear you have to go help out at the school? You better hurry or you'll be late."

"Yes sir! Thank you sir!" Dimmer bowed twice ready to hurry off.

"Not sir any more young man, you will have to refer to me as "sensai" from now on"

"Yes, Sensai" Dimmer said cheerfully as he hurried out the door. He'd have to sprint all the way there to make it on time.

"Yup that boy's got spunk Rei, my child. He should go far in whatever he chooses. I just hope he chooses here! Heh heh"

"You really think so grandfather?"

"Mm hmm, now time to get to work myself. Can't slack off just because there will be less to do with a new back around! Oh! Rei, don't you have to be at school?"

Rei's face paled. In a flash she was out the door with her books. "Bye Grandpa" she yelled as she ran down the temple steps.

"Good bye, my child, have a good day" the old man smiled to himself as he went inside. "Young ones these days are always in such a rush.

"Oooooohhhh! I'm gonna be laaaaaeeeeeeete!" Came a familiar whine behind Dimmer as he was sprinting along. The incredible blonde blur had caught up with him easily. "Huh? Oh! Hi Dimmer you running late too?" she slowed down to run beside him as they both headed toward the school.

"Yup, sure am Serena, where'd you learn to run so fast?"

"Oh this? I do this every morning. Huh? Hey I might make it for once! The school's right up ahead!"

"Okay see ya at the temple later than."

"Bye!" she shouted back already reverting back to top speed running.

"Something tells me this is going to happen a lot." Dimmer said to himself. "Ah well, almost there."

Later that day, Dimmer was practicing a few basic stances in the dojo. His sensai was drilling them into his mind, and he was doing rather well. "Yes my boy, now try some of the stretches I have written on the board. Don't worry, I remember you can't read the kanji yet, just try to follow the diagrams."

"Yes sensai"

"My, my, that child is learning more in a day, than most would in weeks!" he thought to himself as he walked out of the room. "I think I should introduce him to Chad now."

Dimmer was just finishing the stretches when his sensai had come back into the room with a tall young man, with long brown hair. "Dimmer this is Chad, Chad this is Dimmer. I've already told Chad about your amnesia, and recent problems with immigration. Chad here is a student and helper that lives at the temple not unlike yourself. 

"Nice to meet you, man. Sounds like a heck of a lot of problems, if you need any help, I'd be happy to do whatever I can." Chad shook Dimmer's outstretched hand.

"Nice of ya to offer dude, thanks. I'm just glad to be getting such a warm welcome. From out on the streets to inside a temple with teachers and friends. Heh, I think were going get along great."

"That's good to here out of you both" their sensai smiled, "but don't go easy on each other, you two are going to be sparring partners. You'll also be training together. Chad I'd like you to help Dimmer catch up to your level as quickly as possible, after that I'll be able to train you both equally."

"No prob Sensai! I'll kick his ass all the way into my level in no time!"

"I'll do my best Sensai" Dimmer had a feeling this was going to be a painful week.

Meanwhile

The sailor scouts had gotten together at their favorite food shop to talk about things; Serena even brought Luna to get her advice on everything. (Mina hasn't been introduced into the story line yet) 

" Well girls" Luna was saying "it seems that there is definitely something different about this.. Dimmer is his name? He can't be from the Negaverse, I'm sure Rei would have been able to tell that. By taking him under your wings as you have, you've managed to be able to keep an eye on him, and help a young man off our streets. I'm very proud of you all, But as for what to do next about it? All I can suggest is to sit and watch. Don't become too trusting in him in case he turns out to be a cleverly concealed spy, and don't show any ill will towards him in case he is not."

Amy spoke up "So all we can do is continue to do as we were doing before?"

"Precisely Amy, we don't have any choice."

Rei was a little concerned about the stranger in her house. But she really didn't think there was any thing to fear from him. At least not for the present. "Speaking of the Negaverse though, don't you think it's been a little quiet lately?"

"Now that you mention it Rei." Lita answered I think maybe we should all do a quick patrol around the city tomorrow and see if we can sense anything out of place."

"Mm hmm! Sounds good girls!" Serena happily cheered, "but the orders here. Let's eat!"

So they all chattered noisily about who would go where as they stuffed their faces. Luna just sighed. "Oh well," she thought "once they get like this the meeting is finished." She decided to at least try to get one last word in. "Serena," Luna whispered to the girl.

Serena sucked down the rest of her ramen and bent down to listen to the cat. "Yeah Luna?"

"Serena, I would like to meet this young stranger if I could. I can't do much to help you keep your eyes on him if I don't know what he looks like."

"Oh, sure Luna we'll visit him tomorrow while doing our share of patrols, okay?" than Serena quickly went back to chattering with the rest of her friends and eating the meal, jumping back in the conversation as if she never left it. Luna didn't mind this though. It was their endless chatter that allowed them to speak openly about this stuff. No one could tell if Luna spoke through all the chatter, and the chatter didn't make much sense to any one else anyway. 

Three Hours Later at the Temple Dojo

"Owie…" Dimmer and Chad were trying to bring Dimmer's body back to working order.

"Still Dim, you were learning pretty fast back there."

"Not fast enough according to my limbs, and back, and head, and … Hell, my entire body is disagreeing with ya man."

"Well I'm still a few months ahead of ya dude. Shouldn't take long for ya ta catch up with me though, going at your pace."

Dimmer's face and arms were covered in bruises, and a few cuts. His whole body was starting to feel numb, and the few parts that weren't numb all he could feel was pain. He grimaced as he sat up from the futon they gave him for his room. The room was pretty empty. He unpacked everything he had, and it didn't account for much. "Dude, I'm glad that my job at the arcade don't start until next week. I can just picture me coming in like this. They probably wouldn't even recognize me."

"No joke!" Chad laughed, "but you should be glad you don't have to help with those kids at the school tomorrow. Seeing their role model done up in black and blue could scar the poor things for life."

"Yeah, no kidding. Ya know I could really go for a snack about now. Eating is probably the only activity I'm up to."

"Ha! Need there be any other activities? I'll find somethin'. Be back in a sec."

Dimmer laid back down on his futon after Chad left. "Ya know, I never thought I'd become good friends that easily with someone who just beat the tar out of me, and is going to continue you to do so for the next few weeks."

"What was that Dimmer?" Chad walked back in the room with a few bags of chips.

"Eh, nothing. Hey wick~ed! Cheesy poofs!"

"Yup, glad to see you still remember all the important things in life despite the amnesia."

"No joke! What kind of moron could forget cheesy poofs?!"

Chad threw him a bag and they both chowed down.

"Sorry about all that Dimmer, I think I got carried away."

"Duh," Dimmer laughed "what was your first clue? Sensai telling you to make sure to keep practicing all day? Or maybe it was how I couldn't stand after two hours?"

"Both" he laughed back, "but seriously. I think you definitely learned a bit, but I don't think you're putting your all into it."

"How's that?"

"I don't think you're properly motivated. It's the same problem I got. I just don't feel the need to go all out to kick some one's tail for no reason other than to say "I win."

"Yeah, pretty much the same with me ya know. That could put a stopper into going very far in the world of martial arts."

"Mm hmm, but the question is what can get us motivated?"

By now the two were sharing the last bag of cheesy poofs trying to come up with something. That's when both looked into the bag to see one left. They both looked up at each other and smiled.

In a flash they were both back in the dojo taking up fighting stances. Chad had set up a pedestal, and laid the single last cheesy poof on it. The pedestal stood a bit back further, as they took stance to face each other. They both knew the rules. There was only one. Who ever ate the cheesy poof won.

"I'm only going to warn you once Chad. No one, and I mean NO one gets between me and my last cheesy poof."

"I think not young man. I still have a few months training on you, and this is your first day. I admit your determination of fighting despite your wounds impresses me, but I will not go easy on you just because of them." Chad said with a voice imitating an old Chinese master

"Say what you will! But that cheesy poof is MINE!! AAAAHHH!"

Dimmer made the first move. Copying his favorite moves from movies and games he couldn't remember. First with a high roundhouse and than down with a sweep kick. Chad ducked before the roundhouse ever had a chance to hit and did a fancy spin kick in the air to try to counter it. Since Dimmer had ducked with a sweep kick, Chad's foot sailed over his head while Dimmer's sweep kick had swished underneath Chad when he jumped.

Hoping to catch his friend as he came down on top of him, Dimmer went for a flying uppercut. Chad saw it coming though. He managed to lean back in the air just enough to let Dimmer's fist nick his nose. He grabbed Dimmer's out stretched arm and continued to lean back so that he would hit the floor in a roll.

Dimmer was caught off guard, and he knew what was coming, he couldn't think of any way out of it. Chad was going to use the inertia of the fall to roll and throw him. Dimmer knew he couldn't prevent it, so he thought he would go with it. Chad brought his feet up to give his throw some extra height, hoping to send him further. Turned out the height was exactly Dimmer needed to recover. He managed to bend his body into enough of a ball that the flip ended up turning into a somersault in the air.

Dimmer landed softly on both feet facing Chad, who had rolled to his feet facing Dimmer. They both took up stances and glared at each other. They waited for the first sign of movement from the other. Both knew they would not lose, not with the last cheesy poof of the bag at stake. Than as if there was some kind of psychic agreement they both rushed forward with a yell.

Their sensai was watching this spectacle with interest. He'd never seen Chad fight this well, and Dimmer was competing with him as much a rival as anybody with real training. It was Dimmer's unique ideas and fast thinking that kept him in the match, not to mention he was completely unpredictable. Yet Chad had his own advantage as well. Dimmer was still too new for most of his moves, they ended up shaky and often inverted back at him with Chad's few months of training.

Their Sensai came to a decision while watching the scene unfold. His newest student was a genius. And there was much more talent in an old student where he had thought there was only a chance at some. He couldn't help but cackle, this was going to be fun!

In the end it wasn't the bruises from earlier that won out over Dimmer, it was Chad's training. The bout lasted for a good three hours, and they had gained not only their Sensai's attention, but his granddaughter's and her friends as well. The cheering and laughter were far from the ears of the fighters though. It seemed there would be a winner Dimmer had managed to get to face the back of his opponent and behind Dimmer was the prized cheesy poof. He charged hoping to knock his opponent down with enough time to grab the cheesy poof behind him, Chad had other ideas though. Without turning around he did a standing back flip over Dimmer's charge. He landed hands down on top of the pedestal, and continued the flip off his hands.

Dimmer ran at him knowing already it was too late. Chad had thrown the cheesy poof up in the air with him; all he did was land on one foot and knee with his arms spread as if saying "Ta Da!" as the cheesy poof landed directly into his mouth.

With a crunch the fight was over and Chad relished the taste of his reward. For the first time both fighters noticed the crowd's cheers. All except for Rei were cheering; she was just standing in shock. Dimmer looked pissed as he glared at Chad "You. You… you…" 

Chad looked at his new friend with a smirk trying to predict what ever was coming. The crowd stopped cheering, no one liked a sore loser, but what came was the complete opposite.

"You…. You" with each time he said it Dimmer's face looked more cheerful "oooo…. You… are … good.

Chad and Amy were about the only ones not thrown off by the change, (well… Rei's grandfather just laughed, so he might not have been too thrown off either) 

"Naaaahh"

"No I mean it man you-are-good!"

"Nah, I'm not that good, Rei kicks my ass every time…"

"No dude, you are THE MAN!

"No, you Da man. This you're first day and you kick ass."

"I kicked ass? You kicked ass! You definitely da man!"

"No you da man."

"Nah you da man" They got quieter as they argued turning it into a joke

"No, you da man"

"Know what?" 

"What?" They were pretty much whispering now, and everyone leaned into hear what it was he'd say.

"We da men" Dimmer said in a growl type whisper

"WE DA MEN!!" Chad yelled out throwing his arms in the air.

The girls were all laughing now, when Lita popped up with her usual saying when she sees I cute guy. "You know Dimmer kind of reminds like my last boyfriend.

All the other girls looked at her suspiciously now, "What?"

"So your last boyfriend looked like he came from America, huh?"

"Well okay, maybe not. But he's still cute"

A small "oh no" was heard from Amy's vicinity as she put her hands over her ears.

"I AM NOT CUTE!!"

"Dimmer!" Amy scolded, "I warned you about that!"

Dimmer looked like a scolded child, and was still mumbling under his breath.

"Apologize to Lita!"

"But…"

"NOW!"

Without looking at her, Dimmer in a near whisper said, "Sorry"

Lita just laughed. "I thought you were just kidding about that Amy."

"Unfortunately no, and his reaction to it has been steadily increasing lately

"It's okay Dimmer, you're forgiven." Lita ruffled up his hair.

"Cool, okay I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed, I'm beat." He looked down at himself. "Literally".

"Night dude, good match by the way. I'll try not to wake ya up with my tunes." Chad waved good night".

Rei whispered to her friends "If you call what he does a tune"

All the girls nodded knowing exactly what Rei meant.

"You mean you haven't broken his guitar yet?" Lita whispered back.

"Lita," Serena answered the question for everyone as she looked at the empty pedestal, "If he'd do that over a cheesy poof, what would he do if anyone messed with his guitar."

They all looked at the empty pedestal together and silently agreed. Now that Chad and Rei's grandfather were gone to leave the girls with their privacy, Serena looked down at Luna. "So Luna what do you think of Dimmer?"

All the girls looked toward the cat.

"Well, I do say he has one unpredictable personality."

"That's for sure" Amy supplied shaking her head.

"He's also a genius. Look how fast he picked up on our language, and now martial arts. Yet, I believe as you girls do, that he has a good heart, and lots of determination. I also think he has no real goals right now other than a happy life. But remember he could shed a disguise at any moment we should still keep an eye on him.

All: "Right."

Endnotes: hey! It's my first battle scene! Kinda…Hope people weren't too confused by the jumble of writing. I know nothing of martial arts so don't expect too much from me in that area. Luna and Rei's grandfather are dead wrong! Dimmer ain't no genius he's insane! Ha! 

Thx again to those reviewing my fic. And please give me more reviews… MOOOORE! Bwahahahahahahaaa! No, really, I'm not trying to give popular ideals out to the public so I'll have their support when I release my true identity and try to take over the world or destroy it in the process. (insert a Dr. Evil quote) riiiiiiiiight. 

Believe it or not the next chap is already finished. I'll post her in a couple of days, can't wait? Drop me a line and email address, and the next chap is yours early! See ya in the next one!


	5. Kitties, Enemies, and Bed Times

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

Two Weeks Later

The day was bright and beautiful. The clouds were white and fluffy, and the afternoon was extremely peaceful. As the sun looked over the city it would creep through the peaceful sleeping Dimmer, who was still recovering from his wounds from the hard two weeks of hard training. Peaking into Chad's room it heard a small, quiet melody coming from the guitar at his fingers. Smiling at the secret that Chad did actually play well when he played soft, it turned its sight to the four girls, separated, and patrolling the streets of the city. He smiled at there secret as well, as they looked around alert, and cautious, trying their best to keep safe the citizens who lived upon this land.

Lita was walking through the busy streets of the down town area when she saw, or sensed the presence the presence of someone with great power to her left. She stopped and started to walk in that direction, when she spotted something that caught her eye.

"Ice cream!" she smiled it was nearing suppertime and the ice cream stand seamed the perfect thing for her. "After all there is no way I'll be home in time for supper, so a snack wouldn't hurt. Besides the guy handing them out seems cute."

It was true the guy there definitely didn't seem the type to be selling ice cream from a street stand. His long, purple hair reached past his shoulders, and his shear presence just didn't seem right in the traditional apron most ice cream stand owners wear. Neither did the pointy ears that no one seemed to notice.

"Yes", he thought to himself. "Soon I'll be able to gather all the energy needed from these people." It really was his best plan yet. By not targeting the scouts he had no problems gathering the energy Queen Beryl wanted. Since the energy level seemed to double from the sugar-filled ice cream he gave out, they didn't even notice the extra energy being stolen from them. He had to stop himself from coming out with a maniacal laugh. "Wouldn't want to blow my cover," he thought still smiling to the brunette with the ponytail ordering a vanilla scoop. "Coming right up."

Lita was standing not far from the ice cream cart taking licks from her melting ice cream looking down some of the dark, ominous alleys where they find most of there enemies. She couldn't figure it out. She still could sense the presence of some one powerful, but it seemed she couldn't locate it. "Oh well, at least with this ice cream vender here and everyone standing around and talking I don't stand out while looking for the source of the power. And the ice cream is great; I'm not even getting a headache. Serena is going to want to know about this place. Hey! If I can get everyone's help we can all take a trip here and someone's gotta be able to find the power's source." She smiled at her own plan. While walking away toward their rendezvous at the temple she fished out the scout communicator.

"… But I still couldn't find the source of it, and it didn't seem like it was going anywhere anytime soon." Lita was just finishing her story to the rest of the girls and Luna, Serena always took her along on her patrols.

"Good work Lita, it's the only lead we got. Besides I'm getting hungry." Rei smiled. It would at least be a break if nothing else.

"Yeah lets go girls!" Serena stood up holding her fist in front of her with a look that she'd do anything necessary to protect the place. 

"What's with her?" Lita whispered while the spaced out girl in front of them couldn't hear.

"There's ice cream involved" Luna sighed.

The rest of the scouts all put on a flat look, while overly big sweat drops appeared on their heads, knowing the truth of it.

"And where are you all going all excited?" came a voice from behind them.

"Sounds like their going to an ice cream shop Dim." Chad's voice followed.

The girl's eyebrows all twitched all at the same time.

"What? And without inviting us? Is that mean or what?"

"Yeah and especially after we did all Rei's chores for her so she could have the day off."

"Sorry girls. I don't see a way around it." Rei pleaded with her friends.

" It's okay Rei," Luna whispered back "we'll just have to keep an eye out for them as well as the power, we've let it go too long to leave it wait"

"Sure guys" Serena was ignoring Rei and Luna's conversation and already talking to the boys, "of course you can come. The more the merrier, right?"

"Cool. Than lets get going, No use hanging around here, eh?"

Amy just stopped where she was, looking at Dimmer with realization dawning in her eyes.

"What?"

Amy walked up to him. "Uh… Dimmer, I may have just realized where you're from."

"Really, how? And where?"

"Well to answer the first question, repeat what you had said."

"No use hanging around here?"

"No, you added a word to it, something that's has been used as a stereotype for you're nations people for a long time. I found it out while doing research on your behavior patterns. It didn't hit me until just now that I should have been looking for a place with your type of accent."

"I have an accent?"

Everyone just sweat dropped and laughed a bit looking the other way. Sometimes when Dimmer spoke, he would join the words together so mangled you could only pick out three whole, unshortcutted words out of an entire paragraph.

"Yes," Amy laughed "you do, an interesting one it is too. The word you added to your sentence was "eh?" it's very common among Atlantic Canadians."

"Cool, maybe we can tell that to Pidge (he's the cop remember?) And he might be able to narrow his search!"

"Mm hmm, and later I'll take you to the library and do some more research on your accent to see if we can pinpoint it further."

"But for now!" Serena interrupted. "Food!"

"Dam straight!" Chad agreed "now that's the best interruption I've heard all…"

"Kitty!"

"…All kitty, right, no I mean week! Wait a minute! Kitty?"

Dimmer had picked up Luna and was holding her like a baby cradled in his arms. Luna had such a look of surprise on her face with her paws facing up in the air the girls couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, isn't she so cute?" he said getting an extremely higher pitched tone of voice as he spoke on. "Is she yours Serena? What's her name?"

Serena finally stopped laughing at Luna's plight and went over to gently take her from Dimmer. "Dimmer this is Luna, Luna" She continued to hold Luna and pet her as she talked, "this is Dimmer."

"Meow" Luna said putting on her best smile. Sure she was surprised being suddenly picked up like that, but he seemed nice enough.

"Aren't you just the sweetest little thing." Dimmer smiled at her while petting her in Serena arms. "Tell ya what Luna, when we get back, in honor of our introductions, I'll get ya a bowl of milk. How's that sound?"

Luna smiled to herself. The way to a cat's heart is through her stomach theory was well in effect. She suddenly liked this young man. She bounded over to him and sat on his shoulder rubbing her face against hi in an affectionate, feline way.

"Serena laughed." I think she likes you"

"Either that or she REALLY likes milk!" Dimmer smiled.

"Okay you three" Rei was speaking to Luna as well as Dimmer and Serena" enough introductions. Lets get some food."

Luna bounded down and took the lead with Lita. They all chatted cheerfully (as the majority tended to do when food was about to eaten) as they walked toward the ice cream vendor. 

It wasn't a long walk, and the sunny weather had put everyone in good mood. Serena and Rei got in an argument on the way there, but their hearts weren't in it. And after a few good-hearted jabs in from the rest of the peanut gallery, it was forgotten in a few moments. 

When they got there though one had started again. 

"Triple chocolate, double fudged, syrup covered, with extra sprinkles? Really Serena. You gotta learn to watch what you eat."

"Watch it? Sure I'll watch it." And so Serena watched as she pretty much swallowed the thing in record timing. "There. I watched it the whole time" she laughed.

"You keep that up and you're going to be the blubber butt I always said you'd be!"

Chad and Dimmer were sitting on the stools at the stand waiting for their order. "Blubber butt? Wouldn't that have some requirement of having some fat?" Dimmer scratched his head. "Is there even an ounce of it between them all?"

"Probably not, but you know women. I'd like a strawberry sundae."

The Ice cream guy smiled. Business was picking up. "Sure thing kid."

"Hey Chad, is it just me or does he seem a little out of place?"

"What was your first clue, the purple hair or the pointy ears?"

"Heh. Neither. It was the apron."

"Ah yes. No guy in his right mind would ever where a pink apron"

The two laughed, and walked toward the now stunned girls, who seemed to have overheard them. 

"Uh what's wrong with Lita?"

Lita had her head bouncing in a steady beat off the plastic table, while Rei was patting her back in a comforting matter. Rei sighed "It was something she ate."

"Okaaaay, we'll be over there, where the tables aren't vibrating and there's no "I'm dressing up as a elf day" going on. Come on Dimmer."

After they left everyone at the table groaned.

"Well not only have we managed to scare off our dinner company, we have managed to let our dinner company find our target before us." Luna said a little bit perturbed by the events. 

Amy sighed, "we should wait until he closes shop to strike, I'm going to start figuring out how this shop benefits them by monitoring the customers."

"You do that Amy. Just call us at nine when the place closes and tell us what you've come up with." Lita was saying while her forehead still seemed like it was attached to the table. "I think I'll go home and take a nap."

Serena yawned, pretty much used to of getting showed up, "sounds like a good idea Lita. I'm a bit tired myself." 

"WHAT?!" Everyone jumped back. "Serena's tired after having ice cream!"

"Serena come outside in one of those alleys Lita explored earlier. I want to scan you."

"What just because I'm a bit tired?"

"Yes."

So the two went out while the rest went their separate ways home. They would have to be well rested for that night.

"So that's it" Amy smiled at Serena. "They're gathering energy through extra energy we usually receive after an intake of sugar."

Serena looked appalled. "I can't believe it! They taint something as sacred as my sugar rush? The nerve!" 

"Sorry Serena, it looks exactly like that's what's happening here." Amy was scanning others in the crowd now.

"These Negacreeps are gonna pay this time!" 

"Okay Serena, you go home and get some rest, I didn't have much ice cream so I'm not tired. Me and Luna will stick around here and keep watch."

"Okay Amy! See ya tonight. Oof." Serena ran into Dimmer as she was looking toward Amy.

"Woah, what's the rush Serena? Where'd everybody go?"

"Sorry Dimmer, were all heading home now."

"Oh. All right me and Chad we're heading back ourselves. We just wanted to let yas know before setting off." 

"All right Dimmer, see ya later!" Serena took off.

"Strange, everyone rushing off like this." He walked passed the stand.

"MEERRRRROOOOWW!" Luna jumped when someone walked on her tail.

"Huh? Oh Jeez! Luna! I'm sorry, did Serena leave you behind?" Dimmer picked up the navy blue cat, rubbing the sore spot on it's tail. "Come on I'll take ya to the temple and get you that milk I promised you. You can wait there until Serena comes to pick you up."

Luna was at a lost. She couldn't just scratch the eyes out of the person who had offered her milk, and she couldn't get out of his arms any other way. She looked up at Amy with a face saying sorry. Amy just smiled and waved her hand dismissively at Luna. Letting her know it was all right. "Oh well." Luna thought, "might as well enjoy the ride". She fell back into Dimmer's arms, and was rocked slowly into sleep from his and Chad's slow pace. Neither really wanting to get back that quick knowing they'd have to kick the crap out of each other after they arrived. 

Their Sensai was going really hard on them, but they were learning at amazing rates. Dimmer smiled at thought of yesterday's match though. It was the first time he managed to win the prize. Sensai told him he was at the level Chad was at two weeks prior.

When they got back he laid Luna down gently on some extra blankets so as not to disturb her nap. He also set the promised bowl of milk beside her.

Luna woke up to the sight of Rei's grandfather saying fight, and the boys hard at work. She licked at her milk growing interested to see who would win. 

After a while Rei came in to watch as well and seen Luna watching the fight intently. She walked over and lay down beside Luna so she could whisper to her without being noticed. "Getting better aren't they?"

"You could certainly say that." Luna admitted. "If they keep up at this pace, in a month they may be able to give you a go."

"Actually." Rei was a little loath to admit this. "Chad could probably give me a good match now. I've never seen or heard of anything like this Luna."

Luna was a little bit surprised at Rei's admission. But it was true. The combatants in front of her looked like they've been training for years not weeks. 

"Grandfather's getting a little worried. They've mastered all basics and the majority of the advanced. There will be little else to teach them soon. Yet neither know much about spirits or the forces that guide the art. Usually we try to balance out the learning, but they just learn the physical side too quick for us, even with Chad's music career, and all of Dimmer's side jobs, they still continue train through the night. That would worry us if it were by itself, but there's more."

"More?"

"That's just by themselves, when they work together to try to defeat grandfather, the things they do are miraculous. They know each other so well, and what they're doing next they've managed to completely synchronize with each other. They use moves that compliment each other's when working together, and move to disadvantage the other when fighting for their cheesy poof. These are not the techniques that rookies like them should be learning already." 

"And they don't just practice in the dojo either. Streets, rooms, buildings, and anywhere else they might be on their last cheesy poof. I'm a little frightened of what these two can do Luna".

Luna could tell Rei was a little shaken when Chad performed a triple flip back kick, knocking Dimmer into the wall. Dimmer shook it off as nothing and he was between Chad and the cheesy poof before any one could blink an eye. The uppercut kick wasn't part of Dimmer's usual arsenal of moves and so Chad wasn't expecting to be knocked straight up into the air. He recovered quickly though, spinning himself into a quick drill kick, missing Dimmer barely.

"The thing that's scary is even with the same moves, they put such a twist on them we hardly recognize them anymore. They seem to earn a month's training almost every night. Grandfather is afraid to put them into any tournaments in case they start training harder because of it."

"It could be worst Rei, at least they don't use their skills to hurt anyone. In fact they don't even brag about it."

"That's probably the only reason I can stand them." 

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep

"That's the communicator Luna. Let's get going!"

The group was only waiting on Serena as they stood around the corner from the ice cream stand that would be closing any minute now. Rei was getting impatient.

"Where is she?"

"She's coming Rei. It won't take long after she starts running." Lita was trying to defend her friend while she wasn't there. Every one of them knew that if there was anything on Serena's side it was speed, so Rei knew it to be true, but where was she?

"We can't wait any longer, guys!" Amy protested, "He's closing it up now!"

"Than we have to stall him". Rei grabbed her wand "Sailor Mars Power!"

Lita and Amy weren't far behind.

"Sailor Jupiter Power!"

"Sailor Mercury Power!"

Ribbons formed from the magical energy surrounding the girls. Wrapping around their small frames, turning into mini skirts, high heels, and gloves and reforming their blouses. The three high school girls were no more. Left in their place was the famous Sailor scouts.

"Halt evil doer!" came the voice from behind the ice cream vendor.

"Dammit!" he choked to himself. There was no mistaking the bad corny lines of something er other fighting for justice crap coming from behind him. "They shouldn't have found me, my acting was perfect!"

"Your acting maybe good, Negaslime, but evil always stands out in a crowd!" the one in blue went on to say.

"Listen Sailor Scouts, I don't know exactly how you found me, but you sure can't catch me Hahahahaha! Icynia I order you to ATTACK!!" At this, the deep freezer exploded showing the hard ice cream melding together to form a rather shapeless blob with three icy tentacles on either side. It growled loudly in a guttural, unintelligible sound as it thrust an extremely sharp and deadly tentacle at each of the girls. The man with pointy ears and purple hair quickly teleported away. 

"Aaah!" all the girls screamed as they ducked, dodged, and twisted to avoid the icy tentacles. It was fast. Every time they finished dodging they had to dodge another tentacle to avoid being skewered.

"Sailor Mercury! Do something! Jupiter and I will distract it!" Mars yelled while dodging another tentacle. She was now dodging three tentacles instead of two while trying to close in on it.

Jupiter took the hint and jumped in the fray with Mars to try to get its attention away from Mercury. Sailor Mars and Jupiter had now taken several hits and were dodging every other strike just barely. It was like fighting six to two and they were quickly being overwhelmed, but their tactic was working.

"It cannot hit what it cannot see! Mercury bubbles BLAST!!" Mercury yelled as the area was blanketed with fog.

Icynia could not understand these enemies its master summoned it to face, but it knew trouble when it could see it, and not being able to se your opponent was always trouble. Too bad for it, it didn't know how much trouble it was in. One of its opponents shouted something to do with thunder, what it wasn't expecting, though, was a ball of thunder to come straight out of the fog to hit it square in its chest. Paralyzed in fear and pain it screamed loudly when it heard the other of its opponent's scream out "Fire". It was hard not to fear something that was the very bane of your existence. It felt the coming blast of heat while it was a mere flame in the girl's hand. The resulting blast left it as a puddle. 

"Yes! We did it!" Mars yelled happily "And without Sailor Moon too!" 

The fact that a sixth sense warning kicked in last second kept the three girls from celebrating any longer than that. They all dodged just in time to see a pink energy ball hurled toward them. Resulting explosion they quickly realized probably would have killed them all if any of them were a second later. They looked up to the rooftop of a nearby building to see where the blast had come from. It was the same guy as earlier, laughing as he formed another ball. 

"That, Sailor Scouts, was your last mistake!"

"Last mistake? What are you talking about, Negascum!?" Jupiter yelled, but than she knew. It was the , now, familiar guttural yell of the ice cream monster as all three scouts were unsuspectingly caught the cold, icy grip of its tentacles.

"That jerk! That blast must have been meant to revitalize the monster!" Jupiter choked out trying to keep the freezing tentacle from strangling her. She than felt her legs go suddenly numb. Her friends and her were being frozen into scoutcicles! 

"That's right, Icynia, you hold them. "This" blast will be meant for them." This time he allowed himself a maniacal laugh as the pink energy ball nearly finished forming in his hands. "AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!"

"Hold it right there, Negascum! First, you turn a simple pleasure like dessert towards your evil purposes, and than you attack my friends? This is unforgivable! I'm Sailor moon! Champion of justice! And on behalf of the moon, I will punish all that is evil! And that means you."

"Sailor Moon! Help us!" Sailor Mars managed to choke out.

"Right! Moon Tiara MAGIC!"

"You won't catch the great Talenite that easily Sailor Moon!" Talenite called out as he teleported to the next roof, out of the way of the incoming tiara.

Sailor Moon just smiled, "I wasn't going for you"

Talenite looked down to see his monster turned into to a pile of moon dust, and its spell of ice quickly melting away from the rest of scouts, who would soon be battle ready."

"I'll deal with you next time, Sailor Moon. Until than!" He quickly stepped into a portal leading into the Negaverse.

Sailor Moon jumped down from the roof to see to her friends. "Are you guys okay? Sorry I'm late."

"No, Sailor Moon, your timing was perfect." Jupiter smiled. "You really saved our skins there."

"Yes. Good work Sailor moon!" Luna, who was hiding, considering all she would've been able to do to a big ice cream monster is lick up the remains, strolled up from behind a dumpster. "For once your tactlessness came in handy."

"Oh Luna, cut her some slack. She did just save all of us and put a good scare into that negatwit." Jupiter responded putting an arm around Sailor moon, and shaking her comfortingly. 

"Yes, I suppose so. But do try to be on time next time, Serena won't you?"

"Sure Luna, I'll do my best" Serena was pleased she was only going to get off with a warning this time.

"Well that's all I can ask. Come on girls lets get home. You all got school in the morning."

The girls all complied; they changed back into their regular selves and started their walk back.

"Hey Rei?" Amy asked "could you ask Dimmer if he'd meet me at the library after school tomorrow? I want to see what I can find out about his accent."

"Sure, Amy. I'll see if he can go. With the time Grandpa has him training, his helping out at the school, and his nightshift at the arcade, he doesn't have very much time."

"He's really busy isn't he? I only see him any more on Thursday nights where I'm teaching him how to read. Though, he'll hardly need any lessons in it in another few weeks."

"Yeah, he hardly even sleeps what with his training, jobs, and homework you give him."

"I hope he isn't getting too stressed out."

Meanwhile

Dimmer leaned back onto his futon and sneezed. He just finished his work on his reading for Amy, but he was realizing he was starting to turn into an insomniac. He didn't like to sleep really. When he'd sleep, flashes of memory would haunt him. This normally would be a reason to want to sleep in someone in his situation, but the memories would always hurt his head and wake him up. The only thing he'd usually remember from these dreams anyway was the pain that hung around even after he woke up. So he got up and was about to head to the Dojo to do a few katas to relax.

On his way down the hall he heard some music softly playing from Chad's room. Rei had warned him about Chad's so-called music, but this didn't seem so bad. He decided to sneak in while Chad played the song and have a listen. After all, the tune sounded familiar.

Chad was unaware of his friend's presence. He was playing a famous tune he heard down at the karaoke lounge. He couldn't get it out of his head. The song was called "Yesterday", and was sung by the Beatles. It was a favorite played down at the lounge daily, and he wanted to see if he could give it a go by the next week. The haunting melody stirred an unseen emotion in him, and never failed to turn up the hairs on the back of his neck when played or sung right. 

He couldn't say when the voice had started singing with the music just above a whisper. It was just loud enough to bring that pleasant feeling of the original song. He didn't even realize his own voice had started singing with it until he'd sung half of the song. It almost felt shameful to end the song. He could have played it all night. 

Chad turned around to see Dimmer still standing in the hall blinking and stunned at his own voice. Chad smiled. "Is there anything he can't do?" Chad thought to himself. "Wow man, You probably don't remember where you learned how to sing, but you've definitely done THAT before."

"Yeah." Dimmer was still stunned. That song was way too familiar to sing than compared to him trying to sing the songs that came on the radio around here. "I know I've sung that before, heck I know I've sung a lot. I think I know the lyrics to a lot of songs. That one kinda triggered the rest, but I think I need music to get the first word out, know what I mean? Do you know any more? English ones I mean. Do you know anymore like that?"

"Yeah, a few. Old American songs have become kind of a fad around here lately so I try to keep up with them. But usually I prefer something a bit louder."

"Yeah, that's what Rei tells me, but you play soft a lot better."

"Thanks, but that maybe what I'm good at, it doesn't mean that's what I want. You can be good at math to, but hate doing it."

"Too true, but it would be a shame to let that talent go completely to waste. You should give the quiet ones a chance. You don't have a bad voice either."

"Speaking of wasting talent, your voice kicks! Have you ever thought in a career of singing?"

"No. I'm good, but I don't think I'm that good. It's all in fun for me."

"Well I'll make you a deal than I'll play soft every now and than, if you sing in a few of my gigs. Nothing big mind you, just karaoke."

"Wha? No I couldn't do that. I get nervous just thinking about that, man"

"Fine then, no slow songs for me."

"Aw. C'mon ya ain't doin' that to me, is ya?"

Chad just smiled. "Listen I got a little place I can go to really practice where I won't scare the neighbors. You come with me every now and than, get all the practice you think you need, and when you feel up to it we can do a duet publicly."

"Did you plan this out?"

"Nah, came up with it on the fly, you in?"

"Hell, why not? I still had a bit of spare time anyway." 

"Alright Sensei's used to of me taking off every now and than, so when you don't have work or nothing you can come, you wouldn't have gotten in much training without me anyway." 

"Alright than, I'll see if I can't find a song I remember, at the library that isn't a bit louder, eh?"

"Cool, but you best go get some sleep, or I'm gonna have a real easy time getting those cheesy poofs from you tomorrow."

"We will see about that Chad, We will see" Dimmer left toward his room.

Chad smiled as he put up his guitar. "Indeed" he said to himself, and went to bed. 

Dimmer walked toward his room, and yawned. "Yeah, Chad gotta point. Sleep. Need." 

Rei, who had just arrived from fighting evil and what not, was yawning and focused on pretty much the same thing.

Well, with all this yawning going on, and no one watching where they were going, for instance, Dimmer, who had just walked past his room by mistake, they were both just asking to run into something. 

"Eep!"

"Ugh!"

They both fell down in a mess of arms and legs. This wasn't good as it was, but throw in some stairs, and you have two individuals in a whole lotta pain. Rei now very much awake, and in pain after the fall, was about to let her new housemate know how much she appreciated falling down a flight of stairs, when she realized something. That was the position every boy and girl anime character fall into after running into each other. She blushed and was trying to slide out from beneath him as quickly as possible.

Dimmer's mind didn't follow the same direction as hers though. He was way too tired to realize anything. He smiled and than yawned out a "Hi Rei," he ended with a smile again, "Late night?" His eyes barely open, he got up off of her, and started slow steps toward his room. "Come to think of it." He thought to himself as he started the climb up the stairs, "Maybe I'm a bit more tired than I thought I was."

Rei was still blushing; after all, having boys fall on you and landing in erotic poses was hardly an every day occurrence. But embarrassment was quickly being replaced by worry. Every one knew how busy Dimmer had gotten while he tried to take everything on at once, everyone also knew that he wasn't getting proper rest. But did anyone know just how little he got? She decided to find out. Those eyes were of someone who hadn't slept in days. 

"Hey umm… Dimmer?" Rei realized though he lived with her both, of them only really talked to each other congenially, and out of courtesy. They never talked just for fun. She had to admit her jealousy of his learning abilities might have been the reason for it. She would see him and Amy always kidding around, which had scared the life out of her at first. Usually Amy would never poke fun back if you made a jibe at her; she would just smile, and laugh with you. Not when she was with Dimmer though… She would often start the jibes; it was rather comical to watch, really. Than again she had known Dimmer longer. She berated herself for that line of thinking though. 

"Hey" she thought to herself, "Serena and him are always talking like age old friends too, and we both met him the same night. Funny that. He'd never make any jibes at Serena unless she started it, like he did with Amy. And "everyone" made jibes at Serena; in fact he usually defended her." Rei smiled to herself; well that explains why they're such great friends. Serena was friendly with almost everyone, but she became pretty much obsessive over anybody who defended her. Look at Tuxedo Mask! Heck! Even Lita has become better friends with him than I have, and I live in the same house as him!"

"Yeah Rei? What's up?"

"Are you feeling alright? You look really tired. When was the last time you got some sleep?"

Dimmer, looked at his watch, it blinked a 3:30am at him. His mind wasn't up to thinking up the answer to two questions at once right than, so he just answered the only one he could remember. Of course this still took some thought. "Now let's see, I can't say it was yesterday night because she was training with me and Chad than. So I'll just say it was the night before. No need to let her know it was last week, now what is today? I worked with the kids. That would mean it's either Monday or Thursday." He took a guess. 

"Tuesday?"

Determining from the way her eyes bulged, he guessed wrong. "Uh oh, things ain't gonna be pretty…"

"What? You don't remember do you?"

Dimmer stared at her blankly, not knowing if she figured that out by him answering in the form of a question, or if he had guessed wrong. 

Rei literally pushed him up the stairs. "I'm calling Mrs. Grant tomorrow, and the arcade. I'm going get some time off for you. AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO USE IT TO TRAIN!! Now go upstairs and get some sleep." At this she pushed him into his room, and shut the door. Leaving him standing there scratching his head.

"If she does that what am I going to do tomorrow? Ah well, bed time!" Dimmer fell onto his futon with a thump. He was asleep before his body made the thump noise.

Rei shook her head while standing outside his door. She heard what he said before he fell on his bed, and she was determined to see to it that he did nothing but sleep tomorrow. She'd just have to skip school the next day; after all taking care of Dimmer was part of her temple duties, and scout business come to think of it. Rationalizing it out, she walked into her room and set her alarm early for school as usual. She'd have to be up early to give the arcade and Mrs. Grant plenty of notice.

"Well." She yawned, "time for bed myself."


	6. A Day in Dimmer's Life

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

For this chapter there is some views of sexuality preference. They are my own. No, I'm not gay, this is just my outlook. I'll probably be flamed for it anyway, but if you can't take other people seeing life differently than you. Sorry you found this offensive. Other people who know enough to realize sticks and stones do hurt and words don't. Keep reading ^^V 

On with the fic.

Hey! Read the warning! It's there for a reason! I don't want ya coming back to yell at ME if you don't realize what you're getting yourself into here! 

The Next Morning

Dimmer sat straight up after seeing his clock. He had forgot to set his alarm. "I'm LATE!" 

He took off, throwing his clothes on as he ran about his room in a mad fit. He sprinted toward the kitchen where Rei, Chad, and his Sensei sat chatting cheerily. 

"Where are you going in such a rush?" Rei asked calmly as she took a bite out of her toast. 

"Work." Dimmer smiled laughing a bit at the scene he could imagine he was putting on for them. "Where else?"

"I already called the arcade, you didn't have to work until tonight, and now not until next Friday. And you don't have to work for Miss. Grant today either." Rei smiled. She knew she had everything covered.

"Oh, is that why no one woke me up today? Well sorry Rei, I must have forgot to tell you I got another job working as a video game tester, and movie store worker two days ago. I'll catch ya later!"

Rei sat stunned. Three jobs? Mind you he seemed more happy to go this one than the other two. Since he was only working two days a week, Mondays and Thursdays he did have time for it she found out. He may be a workaholic but that wasn't where his loss of sleep was coming from. But just to make sure he's not too stressed at work, (she knew working with the kids was sometimes stressful, but at the arcade he played as many games as the kids that went there. His score had quickly become the one to beat at Sailor V.) …"

"Don't mind if I tag along do you?"

"What about school?" Dimmer mumbled around a peace of toast while getting his shoes on.

"Skipped it. I was going to stay home and make sure you got some sleep, but it's too late to give that kind of notice to your new boss now. Besides I can help explain why you're late." Rei got up and got her own shoes on.

"Well than don't see why not, store owner said he could use any opinion he got. As long as Sensei doesn't mind" He flung the toast in the air with his mouth and when it came down he ate the rest in an audible gulp.

"No, I don't mind. Go ahead you two have fun!" the old man cackled. As his granddaughter and student left, he looked over at Chad and raised his juice in motion to tap glasses.

Chad raised his own about to tap glasses when his sensei spouted off with "Didn't you have to play down at the club today." Chad's eyes bulged and the temple once again was filled with the familiar cry of "I'm LATE!" and the evil cackling of an old man.

Rei and Dimmer were running hard down the street. "What time did you have to be there?" she huffed out as she ran.

"Two hours" Dimmer answered back.

"Than why are we running?"

"I like to say "hi" to Pidge and John every morning."

"Who are they?"

"The police officers first on the scene at my point of impact, if we hurry we'll run into Serena on her way to school."

"Isn't this a bit late?"

Than came the Serena's familiar whine as she sped towards her school. "I'm LAAAAAAATTEE!! Oh there you are Dimmer. Late for your usual talk with Pidge and John?"

"As usual" Dimmer replied as the three sprinted along. 

"You two do this often?" Rei asked 

"Oh! Hi Rei! I didn't see you there. That's a surprise, you're usually early. Besides I thought you're turn was a while back there" Serena pointed behind them while absently dodging one of the many other pedestrians along the road.

"I'm not late Serena. I'm skipping today. Dimmer has seemed a little stressed out lately so I'm going to see if I can help out at his job today."

"Hey! That's right you're working at the new video store that moved now, aren't you? Wow Dimmer, that's three jobs! I don't know how you do it."

"A lot of running"

"I'll bet, Rei told you to meet Amy after school at the library today right?"

"Nope, glad you remembered meatball head! We were so busy this morning I forgot all about it."

"Don't call me that! It's bad enough Darien does that!"

"Don't matter I was planning to drop by the library anyway, I gotta look up some songs for Chad."

Both girls blanched at thought of Chad finding more songs he could mutilate. "Hey! I'll drop by too, we can make a date of it!"

"Wow. Serena in a library? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Oh be quiet you!" Serena stuck her tongue out.

" Stick that back in your mouth, you! Your turns coming up!" Dimmer diffused the fight before it could start.

"Alright. Bye you guys! See you after school!"

"Bye Serena!" both called out.

"You meet with her like this every morning?"

"Pretty much. Hey there's Pidge and John's favorite coffee shop."

"Well would you look at that, John. He's brought a girl with him today." Pidge stood up chuckling while inviting Dimmer and Rei to sit down.

"Rei, this is Pidge and John. Guys this is Rei, the girl who's the daughter of the priest at the temple I told you about?"

"Hi Rei, pleasure to meet you. Please sit down you two. We were just discussing the way hallucinations have been increasing lately."

Dimmer rolled his eyes "do you ever talk about anything else?"

"No," John laughed "but he's got reason to today. We got a bunch more phone calls about a fight at an ice cream vendor's place."

Pidge sat down. "Strange thing is, there was no ice cream stand anywhere around 22nd and high St. The people in this city are going nuts"

Rei had a big sweat drop on the back of her head and was fidgeting.

John noticed this, "Know something, young lady?"

Rei blanched.

"John! I'm sorry miss… um Rei was it? but we were assigned onto the case of all the sailor scout sightings as of late. Don't mind him we haven't had any breaks yet, and he's a bit stressed."

Dimmer looked up from trying to remember something. "Actually, Pidge, John was right she does know something."

If Rei's face could've gone paler it would've. "Did Dimmer know about them? Was he going to rat them out? How did he find out? Did he follow her and Luna?"

"She does?" Pidge looked at her questioningly.

"Yup, both me, her, and a few other friends ate at that stand yesterday. So it was definitely there. It's the fact that it disappeared without a trace that's nuts not the people of the neighborhood."

John looked up surprised "For certain? Well than young lady. Thanks a lot! You two just lead us to our first real break. We'll go check that out now before the trail gets too cold. See you tomorrow Dimmer, and nice meeting you miss. C'mon Pidge, work to do."

"Be right there. Thanks Dim, if you find anything else out don't hesitate to tell, kay?"

"Anything to help, Pidge."

With that the two policemen left out the door.

Rei was feeling rather stupid. "Of course he meant the ice cream stand." She let out a sigh. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Out loud she said "Wow Dimmer, they really have a lot of faith in you. They went with your word everyone on that entire streets."

"Well it's difficult to judge what people can make up Rei. We don't live on that street, so our opinions had a little more believability to them."

"Still, it's nice to have trusting friends"

"Yeah, those two have been watching out for me ever since I was thrown on their doorstep. Nice couple of guys. Serious about their job too."

"We should go, maybe we won't have to run all the way there this time. I'm still trying to catch my breath. Don't know how Serena does it."

Dimmer laughed, "Years of practice Rei, but you're right, let's take off."

It didn't take long before they arrived at the rundown video store. The windows had been broken and replaced by planks, it was a two-floored building, and probably just long enough for the old, small business place it used to be. There was a small sign saying "Tenaka's Comics, Videos, and Games."

"Your new boss must be a real fixer-upper."

"Yeah, only I'm the "Upper".

"Huh?"

"He fixes stuff, I put it up."

"Ah." 

They walked into the store and while Dimmer told her to have a look around while he went to find his boss. Rei looked at the shabby shelving holding the movie displays. Truthfully they had a great selection for a store that just opened, and was about 2 steps away from being condemned. It seemed they only held the most popular video games, and had a rather large area of cartoons. There were comic displays of every nature on the far wall, and they had a few books on Role- playing games and other things of the sort.

"Rei?" Dimmer called from the back. She looked over and seen Dimmer waving for her to come into the back room with him, so she went.

"Rei, meet anime lover, RPG'er, and comic collector, Kintaro Tenaka. Mr. Tenaka? This is my housemate Rei."

Mr. Tenaka was a strongly built man in his forties, his red hair was short and receding, while his beard was well grown in and a smile that seemed permanently etched onto his face.

"Well nice to meetcha Rei. I hear dat you wanted ta help Dimmer today?"

"Umm… yes sir, if that's okay with you?"

"Only if ya let me pay you for da effort, and not call me sir."

"Oh uuh… No sir, I don't need… I mean Mr. Tenaka, sir, I don't…"

"Nonsense. Any one working at dis store will get pay. Simple as dat. And don't take after your frien dover dere, jus' call me Kintaro." Kintaro had shaken her hand over the deal before she could protest any more, and was talking to Dimmer about how there really wasn't anything to put up today. She couldn't understand it all because they would break into English and back into Japanese and back again. "Sorry Dim, me b'y," He was saying in English, if you could call it that, "wasn't able to get the real shelves fixed, I got caught up wit de orders for otter supplies and de painters. I'll probably be done 'em all by yer next morning shift on Friday toh'. Can ya still make it in?" 

"Yeah, no prob Mr. Tenaka, but witout da shelving, what does I do taday?"

"Weelll… there is the new orders, and games to check out, make sure dey work, and test which you'll tink to be the best sellers. Jus' make sure everything's clean and to serve any straggling customers dat can look past the outside of dis place." Kintaro smiled as he watched his only employee drool over the chance to watch anime and play the latest games on the latest system. Besides being a storeowner, and a carpenter, he was also a computer programmer and repairman. He took pride in the way he could make this guy turn green with envy. Especially since he was a fellow Canadian. "There's no mistaken that accent," he thought to himself, "wonder if he's a fellow *Newfie or a *Caper?" He made a mental note to ask later. For now, there was work to be done.

"What does he want us to do, Dimmer?" Rei was curious of why Dimmer was still standing there like he was about to enter heaven's gate.

"C'mon Rei, you are about to catch a glimpse of the latest gaming systems and games of the 21st century."

Dimmer said computers, Nintendo cube, Playstation 2, X-box, and their former counter-parts. After that though, when he went into tech-talk she hardly understood any of it after that, but at least he was finally stopping. Rei wasn't even trying to understand anymore. She figured what ever he was saying, he was saying that Kintaro had cool systems and games. 

"… And so in short you could say that Kintaro Tenaka is the very essence of l33t."

"Huh?"

"Ugh" Dimmer wished that Amy was interested in video games. She was the only one out of the lot of them that could even understand any tech. talk. Truthfully he didn't even know enough about computers to put up his own web page, but these girls were pretty much illiterate, though Serena at least tried. He smiled. "I'll make a gamer outta her yet." 

"In simple terms, Rei, This guy has wick~ed stuff. But you'll never get it if you don't see for yourself, c'mon I'll show ya."

They walked into the "Game Room" and even Rei gasped. It was filled to the brim with stereo speakers, multiple systems, TV's for each, and two Computers side by side. Wires ran everywhere, while the stench of a three-week-old pizza box wrinkled her nose.

Dimmer breathed it all in. "Amazing isn't it? It's everything every true computer nerd dreams of."

"I bet he has enough stuff in here to launch missiles!"

Dimmer couldn't help but laugh at her ignorance. "Rei" he held up one of the systems, "do you know what this is?"

"Yeah, Serena got for Christmas. It's the new Nintendo Cube right?"

"Correct, and with the right knowledge, with this alone one could "launch a missile". "This." He gestured to the room around him "could destroy, create, and control worlds."

When put that way Rei couldn't help but be impressed. The fact that they used it mostly for video games, Internet usage, and entertainment was a little unsettling. 

"Isn't it a shame to use all of it only for games and such than?"

"It's all according to perception, Rei" Dimmer was rummaging through the inventory lists to make sure everything was there. 

"Ah. Here it is, Serena'll love this. It's the new Sailor V game. Those sightings of sailor scouts have made an increase in sales and so new games and their sequels are pumping out like crazy. Any way as I was saying, It depends on how you look at it Rei. Amy would agree with you 100%, but me? No. She would rather use her computer to help to control the world. That isn't a bad thing, in fact it's quite the opposite. Today's world is run by computers, it's only natural to want to use them to help you gain control of your own life. She sees most of these games as just that. Games.

"But as I said, I differ. Each of these games is their authors ideas and worlds. I said computers could destroy and create worlds. I meant it. These people invent entire worlds through their ideas. To say that these games are a waste of time is just like saying a fantasy novel is a waste of time. Which the famous Lord of the Rings series and Shakespeare are I might add. The only difference is in games the author lets you play a role in it. To get really into a game is just like getting really into a book."

"Wow. Never knew you felt that strongly about it Dimmer."

"Bah. Don't worry about it. What I would like you to do is play this game and rate it as far, what the controls are like, that is how easy they are to get used to, the graphics, how fun the game is to play, and the how good the story line is. I'm going to check out a few PC games that came in."

"Alright". "Stressful?" she thought about Dimmer's newest job, and his boss, "hardly."

The time passed too quickly for Rei as Dimmer and her played the games all day until 2:30pm. Dimmer told her the time and she could hardly believe him. They had to meet Amy and Serena at 3:15pm at the library. 

"So, how was the game Rei?" 

"Well, I don't play often, and the controls on the paddles were a bit hard to get used to."

"Don't worry about that, it's the fault of the system, the old controllers in my opinion were a lot easier to get the hang, even if they were a little bulky. What I wanna know is how easy it was to use the moves the game taught you."

"Oh, well after I figured out where all the buttons were it was a sinch."

"Good controls than, how about graphics?"

"Like all the other sailor V games."

"Graphics are crappy gotcha. You'd think they'd finally put the dam thing in 3d wouldn't ya? Ah well, how about game play?"

"Oh it was fun. You never really get bored, whenever you're about to they came out with some new weapon or move you could do."

"Cool, that's new, usually for those games you just keep blasting away continually. Good fun factor, something you can note for later there, Rei. Bad graphics doesn't mean bad game, and good graphics doesn't mean good game either. And what about story line?"

"Now that was cool! The scouts and I… er the new sailor scouts are in it and you can play through as them too, getting different story and moves."

"And a real good rating for story line. Good job Rei." Dimmer put the notes he made on a shelf and waved his good bye to Kintaro, who grunted his reply behind the sandwich in his mouth. 

"There was one thing about the story that frustrated me though, Dim."

"And that would be?"

"Why Sailor Moon, she was the main figure in this game, why she got the guy that her and Mars were after."

"Don't let it get to ya Rei. Did Mars end up with anyone at the end of it?"

"Yeah, her lackey" Rei gestured by putting her finger in her throat, "Blah"

"At least she had that. Games and anime are so much alike, and most cases if she didn't end up with someone you ASSUME she got with, the populace deems her as lesbian and moves on."

"What?!" Rei paled.

"Don't be surprised in most cases the populace is right after all. Sidekicks like that never end up with their own guy/girl they can fall in love with as much as the heroes do. It's stupid really; the hero's love can conquer all! The sidekick's love might be able to conquer money problems, and that's only if luck is on their side.

"I AM NOT A LESBIAN!"

A few of the other people walking by decide to walk quicker while trying to keep in their laughter. Dimmer didn't even try.

"Aaaahahhahhhahahahhahahah!"

Rei turned a bright red realizing what she just yelled out, while Dimmer wasn't doing anything to deter the attention from her. In fact he probably caused a little more attention to be pointed at her when he had to sit down in the middle of the sidewalk still laughing.

"Oh my god… hahha ah, oh jeez… ahah, oh my god… ahaaa ahaaa." His laughter finally had died down. He had to take a few deep breaths before he was able to stand up right again. " My GOD! Rei, thank you…" wheeze "… memory or no memory I can assure you that I haven't laughed that hard in a looong time…" another deep breath "… oh yes."

Rei was steamed by this time; "you didn't have to laugh that hard you know." She said angrily.

"Oh, don't take it so hard Rei. Even if you're feeling like someone's sidekick, I assure you that's not how things work in real life." Dimmer didn't think saying that would calm her any but was surprised how well it worked.

"Okay than", She forced herself to calm down. No use getting upset over it, I can't give myself away over some stupid game. She thought. To Dimmer she said "But if you mention to ANYone what just happened here, I will hunt you down, you got that?"

"Sure, sure, but really Rei, don't fret. It's not like you're going around in a Sailor Mars costume fighting monsters from another universe. Competing for your love's attention from the one and only Sailor Moon who, even though she is a complete ditz, upstages you every step of the way."

Rei had a big sweatdrop on the back of her head. "Right!" She said with a tad too much protest. That game just hit way too far close to home for her comfort.

"Those types of things don't happen. And only if they did, I'm sure, is about the only way any one will believe you to be a lesbian." Dimmer continued on.

Dimmer would've been hearing low growling sounds from Rei's proximity if he was bothering to listen.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that mind you. I just hate the way it seems people are turning being heterosexual into a bad thing. And why parade downtown Toronto just because you're gay? Don't see me running down a street with horns and floats just because I have a sexual preference do ya?"

The crowd that had been laughing at Rei was now gathering and laughing at Dimmer. In truth he was trying to keep his own laughter in. Rei couldn't keep hers in either, and her bad mood had pretty much flown away leaving her smiling with the rest of the crowd. But enough was enough and they were keeping their friends waiting. 

"Hey if there is a gay pride day in the states, Do you think they'd make it a national holiday? How about a heterosexual day ? Sure I'm just looking for another day off work, but the question is would it work? And are you behind me?!" he finished with a yell.

This earned him a few cheers, and much more laughs from the crowd, and a slap in the back of the head from Rei. "C'mon Dimmer" She had to pull him by his ear toward the library. "Really, it's bad enough I embarrassed myself without you to embarrass us both."

The crowd continued to laugh so Dimmer went with it. "I'll be here all week!" he called back to the crowd. "Ow!"

"No! He won't!" Rei gave an extra hard tug on Dimmer's ear, on the word "No" and a second one on the word "won't".

Dimmer was yawning again by the time they made it to the library. He had more sleep last night than he had had the whole rest of the week, as in about 6 hours. Obviously to anybody else this would be way too little sleep, but Dimmer had done this type of thing on a regular basis since he first arrived in Tokyo. Sleep isn't easily found on a park bench no matter how you decorate it. So in the end Dimmer looked at his being tired as himself getting weaker.

He was thinking to himself, "Man, I've even got Rei worried about my sleeping habits. It ain't right; I should be able to last a lot longer than this. I was hoping my work and training would be able to keep me busy enough that I wouldn't have to worry about it for a while. There's still so much I gotta do and learn before I can stand on my own two feet around here. I don't wanna intrude on Sensei, Rei, and Chad forever." *Yawn* "To bad my body doesn't agree with my way of thinking."

The conversation had died since the whole fiasco with the crowd. Rei was still simmering a bit. "Sidekick? I'll give her a sidekick all right! Always upstaged when she is falling on her face at least twice every time we fight! Yeah right Rei, no one can be upstaged by a klutz. Least of all you." This was the last bit of convincing she tried to give herself, but in her heart she knew there was little truth in what was said. In the game Sailor Mars was nothing more than a sidekick to Sailor Moon. Was reality so different? Serena was her friend, even if she was a twit. She was also voted the leader of the scouts, even if no one knew why.

"I'm loyal to Sailor Moon. I always will be. As a friend, and as a follower, but I want to be known as myself, not as her sidekick." Rei sighed. Maybe she was overreacting. "Of course that's it! It's just a stupid game, just like Dimmer said. Reality is different. It isn't some world made up by an author trying to make a name for themselves by putting characters they made up into all sorts of embarrassing and deadly situations. And I was not made for someone's entertainment! I've been getting upset over nothing. If Tuxedo Mask does choose her, it will be his choice. Not some writer's who has decided to give a love to the lead roll." (don't ya kinda feel sorry for them now?) 

With this cleared up she looked up at Dimmer to catch him yawning and looking a little drowsy "Look at yourself Rei! You were so caught up in some stupid game that you forgot to look after Dimmer. The whole reason you skipped school today." 

"Dimmer are you all right? You look like you're ready to fall asleep. We should go back to the temple, we can do this all tomorrow, Amy and Serena would understand."

"Dammit" Dimmer immediately thought to himself. "Rei caught me dosing off. She's gonna start thinking I'm too weak for this and getting Sensei to cut back on my training! I gotta keep going now!"

"No, don't worry about it Rei. The excitement of our walk died down after ya chased the audience away. I'm just getting a little bored. That's all." Dimmer put on his best smile. "I hope she bought that."

Rei smiled in answer "Sorry, I haven't been the best company, I just got to thinking to myself and forgot to keep the conversation going." Rei looked into his blood shot eyes and past the over blatantly obvious false smile. "No way Dimmer" she thought to herself as she continued her own false smile "you're easier to read than Serena." 

He was tired, and his ego was in the way of his good sense. "Ugh, MEN! Why must they always try to look so macho! Now I'm gonna have to think of some way to get him home, and not hurt his ego at the same time. Thbbt! And than they wonder why women have to be so good at mind games!". Okay, I don't know a lot about Dimmer so I need someone who does knows him. Hey! Amy knows him best, she knew him since he first came down. I'll have to tell her the problem."

15 minutes later

Now they were on their way home from the library. Dimmer was slouching, and he looked very much like a sulking puppy that just got scolded. Rei was very much trying to hold her laughter in. She now knew that "how to handle Dimmer" was a whole lot simpler than having to play any mind game. It was the ol' tried and true way of "yelling at him until he seen sense" that would get the job done. Once told the situation, all Amy did was go over and holler at him until he agreed it would be wise to go home get some sleep, than come back the next day to help with Amy's research.

"Can't believe you told Amy on me." He mumbled.

"I'm sorry Dimmer I didn't quite catch that"

"I said "Can't believe you told Amy on me! Right in the library too. Even the Librarian was too freaked out to tell her to be quiet."

"Hey! You forced me to, all right? I didn't want to. It was you who wasn't getting any sleep, and for no real reason that you'll tell anybody I might add. I should take you for a doctor's appointment, but you don't have any registration papers to put you in."

"Good, hospitals unnerve me. Don't like the sight of blood, and all their needles freak the hell outta me."

"Well were almost home now, and you'd better go in and get some sleep this time!"

"What about my katas? And I gotta train with Chad today. Oh yeah! I was still able to get this sheet music for Chad and me to go through too."

"Don't make me walk all the way back to the library to sick Amy at you!"

"All right, all right… but at least you can give the music to Chad for me, jeez."

"As long as you promise to go straight to bed, look at you you're either beat or you're getting into drugs, and I better not start thinking you're into drugs or your butt will be out on that stupid park bench so fast you're head will spin!" She grabbed the binder he'd put the music in and stomped off into temple heading toward Chad's room he suspected.

"I'm not into drugs!" he yelled. Than he looked around to see if there was anyone that could hear him. Seeing no one he finished what he was going to yell in a rather quiet voice, "And I liked my bench." He walked into the temple after her heading toward his own bed.

Endnotes: Aah! I forgot to put these in last chap. Oh well. Hello again. enjoying the fic so far? Hope so! ^^ 

I've been getting many a review to include the outers into this fic. I want to, and they are DEFINITELY going to play a part. Unfortunately I know nothing about them. The episodes haven't come out down here during a time period when I have cable. So anyone who can give a name of a site with lots of reference material, and a good script, episode guide and/or a good time table of events of the show, it would be extremely appreciated, and NEEDED!! 

As is though it may be a bit difficult on the fact that Mina hasn't even been introduced yet…

So does Dimmer have anyone's dream job yet? Heh, I know he got mine. The word "L33t" belongs to a delicious web comic called megatokyo at www. megatokyo .com please by all means go there if you like gaming. It kicks! And no, I'm not friends with any one who draws it. I doubt they'll ever even hear of this.

*Newfie: person from Newfoundland, an Atlantic Canadian province with very friendly people, and horrible grammar.

*Caper: person from Cape Breton Island, Island very close to Newfoundland, yet belongs to the maritime province, Nova Scotia. Also have horrible grammar, just not as bad as a newfie.


	7. Sundown gets dimmer bajeezus that's corn

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

Dimmer was walking out of the woods into a clearing. He couldn't remember how he got here, was he just dreaming? Maybe it was another memory... but that didn't seem right. This place didn't seem familiar in any way. There was a hill in the middle of the clearing so he decided that he might as well take a look around, he knew he had just fallen asleep so it would probably be a while before he woke up. He couldn't ever remember having such a vivid dream before; of course he couldn't remember his entire life up unto this point, so obviously his memory didn't count for much.

He had reached the top of the small hill that was centered in the small clearing, he had noticed that on the way up the hill the sky was darkening gradually and as he arrived at the top the only thing he could see clearly was the clearing itself. He noticed dark, gray clouds on the horizon moving quite quickly toward his position on the hill. He looked all around the hill and realized it was the same from every direction, the clouds were moving miles per minute until it they converged over his spot on the center of the hill.

Upon their convergence thunder sounded and lightning crackled splitting the silence of the dream with it's first sound. The clouds formed a small, skinny pillar down to the center of the hill. Dimmer stood back so as not to get hit by it. The pillar hadn't quite hit the ground and the very bottom of it had started forming a shape. Dimmer squinted trying to make it out and he walked forward until he could see it looked like a dagger sticking straight down towards the earth. 

He had to think about this first, it didn't look like the scene was going to change until he had done something. He thought it was pretty obvious that he should take the dagger by its hilt, but now that he had observed the scene for a while he could see the blade of the dagger was black. It wasn't just that, that had gotten his nerves up, it was because the blade was a darker black than anything he had seen before. Even the night seemed bright around that blade. The blade seemed to suck in the light all around it making everything within its vicinity darker.

"Well" thought Dimmer, trying to build up his own courage, "It's just a dream isn't it? What could it hurt?"

He reached into the small layer of cloud that was covering the dagger and he grasped unto the hilt. He had his answer. It could hurt him. 

The blade had sucked the light out of him, making him look like a mere shadow of himself. His whole body was wracked with pain; it seemed as though the dagger wouldn't stop draining him until there was nothing left of him. But to his surprise the pain stopped, he had held onto the hilt with a death grip and his arm was still shaking as he held up not a dagger, but a black bladed sword. He turned it around in his hand to see what really looked like. The grip itself was as black as the blade, but was surrounded by a golden hilt that, if one were to look, was engraved with many scales that went quite well the golden dragon head at the very bottom of the hilt.

The balance of the blade from what Dimmer could tell was phenomenal, but it mattered little any way for you could hardly tell you were lifting the sword. It felt more like he was swinging a rather large stick. It was than while looking at the sword he noticed it wasn't the only thing that changed appearance. First he had noticed that he had gloves that drew up to the knuckles of his fingers, the muffled feeling around his face told him he wore a scarf, and the black trench coat was hard to miss as well. He wore a black cowboy hat, and the collar on of his coat hid even most of the scarf that covered his mouth and nose. The scarf was tied in the back and continued down to the end of his back where it ended in five frayed ends on each opposite sides.

There was a small strap-like belt hanging from the hip area of his coat that could be used to hold the coat closed had someone wanted to. His jeans had changed into black dress pants, and his shirt into a dark red T-shirt. He also noticed a sheath on the side of his hip, but it was the sheath fitting that of the dagger from before, not of the sword he now held. He clued in and stuck the point of the sword into the sheath and slid downward. The sword turned back into the dagger and fit into the sheath perfectly. He noticed his shadow on the ground, and that made him turn to see the first bit of sunlight since the walk up the hill. But to his surprise the sun was going down not rising up, which meant the dark clouds had obscured it from view completely.

The sunset shone with pink and yellow energy. Dimmer watched dumbfounded at the plain, natural beauty of the sun sinking below the tree line. The clouds had dispersed leaving three-quarters of the sky already sparkling with tiny specs of stars and a bright sliver of the moon. The other half changing from a dark purple, to a bright pink, and finally into a skinny sliver of yellow just peaking over a sea of trees. 

"It's the sun setting..." Dimmer observed in a whisper so as not to disturb the sacredness of the scene. "It's Sundown."

Dimmer woke up with a start. He could feel the sweat pouring down his back. It was the dream that had been disturbing him these many nights. He looked around, having went to sleep around four he was a bit disorientated when he looked at his watch and it told it was one am. He lay back unto his futon, letting his breathing relax, and listening to his heart as it slowed down to a normal rate. 

"So that's it?" he asked himself. "That's all there is to it? That dream has been bothering me for a month and that's all there is to it?" Dimmer was, to say the least of it, disappointed. He was hoping for some form of memory of his old life, and even his dreams led him to dead ends. It was weird to dream up such pain and such a strange scene. "There has to be more to it, it can't just end like that. There has to be more". 

Dimmer turned over to get some more sleep hoping this time not to wake up in a sweat. His hopes would be in vain.

Meanwhile

"Serena? Serena! Are you there?" Serena looked at her alarm clock wearily. It flashed a bright one a.m. at her. She yawned as she stretched over to reach her communicator. 

"Hi Lita" She yawned again. "What is it?"

"Serena, you have got to get here now! That Talenite guy is issuing a challenge to us at the old train station" It sounded as though Lita was running out of breath at the other end.

"Huh? How do you know?" Serena woke up as though someone had splashed water into her face.

"I know because the bastard followed me home last night and…. Jupiter Thunder Clash! I'm fighting his minion on my apartment roof!"

"OH Lita! I'll be right over, and I'll call the others on the way. Just stay all right! Luna?"

"I heard Serena, hurry and transform! There's no time to waste!"

"Right!"

When he awoke once more. His head was spinning. 

"I gotta get more sleep." He said to himself quietly. Weak or not this just wasn't going to do. He got little sleep, and the little sleep he did get was restless with dreams of memories, and now fantasy worlds and strange visions. 

"Swell"

The room was almost as dark as the black dagger in his dream, he tried to focus his eyes, but the attempt was useless in the darkness surrounding him. He decided to get up to go get a drink or something, but this was a mistake. His head started swimming worse than ever as he stumbled toward his door. Leaning on the dresser Chad and his sensai moved into his room for him, he held his hand against his forehead trying to make sense of the blurred darkness around him.

He felt around where his door ought to be, found the handle and stumbled into the hallway. All at once his vision was focused and the dizziness stopped, all that was left of the whole experience was an uneasy feeling down in his gut. He leaned back against the hallway wall to catch his breath.

"What the hell was that about?!"

Still breathing hard he left the hallway and walked toward the kitchen. He noticed that Rei's door to her room was left open a bit. 

"Probably just getting something to eat" he thought, "Hey maybe she got some cheesy poofs!" Forgetting anything that just happened he ran toward the kitchen, everyone knew eating cheesy poofs around him and Chad was a stupid thing. 

"Hey it isn't our fault" he rationalized "they just can't appreciate the taste of cheesy poofs as only we can." 

So whenever the girls got a bag Dimmer and Chad had most of them gone the moment the attention was drawn elsewhere. Usually either Dimmer distracted them or Chad, depending on who was had the better chance of getting the bag at the time. With all this the girls had taken to eating their bags in secrecy just to spite Chad and him. Dimmer was hoping he would catch Rei digging into her stash and grab a few of these precious sweets on which, to him anyway, life itself depended on.

His hopes, however, were in vain as Rei was nowhere to be found. Just in case of some glimmer of hope for some cheesy poofs, Dimmer continued to search for her through the shrine, training hall, and even the garden outside. He was disappointed everywhere he looked though. Rei was no where to be found, he decided to check her room, just to see if she went back to bed or not. That was strange though, usually Rei would never leave her door open, not even a smidgen. She would yell at them for being perverted when they mentioned it to her once. Dimmer felt that Rei was a little bit paranoid over something. Still, he checked her room just to make sure. It was empty.

"Well she's not in the temple than, and it's 3 a.m. where could she be at this time of day? And she complains about me losing sleep!"

Elsewhere

"Aaah!" Rei shrieked as the giant rock flew by her head.

"That was close!" She looked back up at the rock monster in front of her. In short it was huge. It's broad shoulders and legs were chipped a bit from the blows that the scouts had already inflicted on it. It looked like a giant humanoid baring a large warhammer-shaped rock as it bore down on her. She rolled into a backwards somersault as the hammer made another crack in the roadway they were fighting in. somewhere in the back of her mind the thought flew up to her head that the scouts were probably costing the town a fortune in road repair. 

It hadn't taken long for the battle on Lita's roof to throw everyone into the alley next to it. Talenite had shown up, and using the Sailor's surprise, he blasted them all off the roof. While they were still stunned from the fall, his minion, the rock warrior, who was unaffected by the fall, attacked once more.

Bringing her mind to the present she tried to make the monster back off by firing another fireball toward it. Usually one of the other scouts would have taken the pressure off of her, but it seemed not only focused on her, but it ignored all the other scouts attacks. Even Serena's tiara was having little effect. Every time she threw it he would parry with his hammer. The hammer would be dusted, but he would pull another one out of his back and keep gunning for Rei.

The fireball as before was ineffective, and she had to continue dodging the monster's strikes or end up as another pothole on the list of town repairs. Talenite was laughing and floating in the sky out of reach of the sailor's attacks. He would rain down attacks on the rest of the girls keeping them too distracted to barrage the rock monster with magic.

"Oh crap." The rock creature feigned a downward thrust than pulled into a sideswing. Rei was quite literally caught between a rock and a hard place, she got smashed by the rock and was pinned into a near by building wall. Vaguely she wondered if changing back to her normal self would replace the three ribs she felt were broken in her side. The hammer had her pinned to the wall; it was to heavy for her to lift, and the rock man walked toward her.

Back at the temple

Not being able to find Rei, Dimmer decided he should be in bed. He yawned and headed back towards his room. He opened his door only to be greeted by the blackness and that plagued him on his way out. Being wide awake this time he tried to fight off the dizziness, he caught a flicker of gold glinting in the small bit of moonlight that managed to trickle into his window. He forced himself forward curious about the glimmer, and unwilling to show weakness to anything, let alone mere darkness, and a small amount of dizziness. A strange silence he hadn't noticed before had enveloped him in a suffocating manner. The loneliness he felt about not belonging in this land manifested itself ten-fold. He could make out an outline floating and twirling above his bed. As he focused more on what it was the shape came to him. The dagger. It had to be! The one from his dream! Would the same thing happen?

"Only one way to find out!" he thought determinedly as leaned forward grasping at the hilt.

PAIN.

It's a strange word. It represents so much, but you can never really appreciate how appropriate it seems. Four letters can break and make even the strongest of men. How it can take your endurance to its limit, and than exceed it. You cry out as it penetrates your body, and no matter how many times you feel it, it hurts each time. Pain. It's the perfect word. Simple, just like the feeling it describes. It comes in many forms, to our emotions, body, and soul, but it's always the same. It always hurts. 

That is what Dimmer felt now, but he was learning, no matter how much the pain, if you are still alive after word, you can endure it. This pain he would endure. Though pain can never be prevented, one can learn to ignore it. This pain he would ignore. He would not run away, back out the door, he felt as though this was something he needed to do. To prove to himself, he could do it. Than as before the pain subsided.

He watched as the darkness billowing around him in formless clouds, began to take shape into the clothing from his dream. He thought of nothing, as if silence had claimed ownership over his mind. The loneliness was surrounding him not unlike a second layer of skin. Strange though the feeling was, he took comfort in it, it felt as though the solitude was protecting him, keeping him from pain that others might inflict upon him physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Than came the feeling, a sense of dread. He had few friends, and someone he held dear was in pain. Was there something he could do about it? He looked down upon his sheathed black-bladed dagger. Its gold hilt glinted in answer. He needed no more convincing, and all at once he was gone, the only sound was the howling wind whistling through the curtains and the newly opened window.

Back with the Scouts

Talenite was enjoying himself immensely. He had picked up a grudge towards these scouts; they were hardly a match for the Negaverse! How dare they try to interfere with his plans! AND killing Icynia! The crime was intolerable! He would make them pay dearly! The one he had set Gravescion the stone warrior after was almost broken. One more strike and he was sure she would never interfere with his plans ever again. He set Gravescion after the annoying blonde with the long pigtails; he wanted the glory of being the first to kill a sailor scout to himself.

"HAhahhahahhhhahah! Why wait for the train station scouts! Let's finish this in the here and now!"

He gathered up his power for a fitting final strike, when a flash of white and red flew by his face cutting his cheek and breaking the warhammer that was coming dangerously close to making a sailor moon indent into the ground.

"Sailor Moon keep faith! Those of strength will always win out over the cowardly!" A young man in a black tuxedo and white mask called out over the battlefield. Tuxedo Mask stood upon the corner of a building, while his cloak billowed out behind him. He held a red rose in a white-gloved hand and continued with what he had meant to say. "It is a coward who shoots his enemies from the darkness where they cannot see, or from the air where they cannot reach. My name is Tuxedo Mask! And I have come to even the odds." He said the last with a smirk, as he threw the rose he was holding directly at Talenite.

But Talenite was ready; he released the energy he had been gathering toward his new target. This tuxedo Mask was going to learn the hard way not to mess with the Negaverse. The energy ball vaporized the thrown rose and continued toward its destination only to be absorbed by the boys black cane. 

"He can defend himself against my best attack? This calls for some kind of plan!" He thought for a moment of what some of the generals would probably do. "Hey I know!" He teleported away.

Tuxedo Mask at a lost now that his enemy had run away, yelled down at the girls, "Sailor scouts! To defeat this foe will take more power than any ONE of you now have, you must work together to bring this evil to an end!"

Sailor Moon looked up to Tuxedo Mask with star-filled eyes. Time after time she could always count on him whenever she was in a bind. And once again he had come through for her and her friends. They all understood what they had to do, and simultaneously they called upon their powers.

"Mercury bubble Blast!"

"Mars fire Ignite!"  
"Jupiter thunder Crash!"

"Moon Tiara Magic!"

The resulting combination led the stone warrior to a fiery, watery, electric, well-lighted death. Rei fell to her knees from the exertion of power. The others were there in a flash to help her up. By the time Sailor Moon looked back to thank her hero he had already vanished.

Tuxedo Mask frowned as he jumped back towards his apartment. He had saved the girls from horrible defeat again so why did he still have this feeling of dread, like the danger was not past? He put it down as probably an after effect of the battle and its excitement and continued on, he had work the next day, and he needed his sleep to prepare towards it. Inwardly he sighed. The Sailor Scouts must be the key, if I follow them long enough, someday they'll have to lead me to the Moon Princess. "Than to your freedom my Princess, than I can free you."

"Hey gi~irls!" Talenite's familiar voice sounded above them as they helped Sailor Mars limp away. The girl's screams of horror at the powerful ball of energy hurled toward them, filled the night. Taken by surprise and no time to act the girls could only watch stunned as the scene slowed down before them. They didn't know when the black shadow had moved in front of them, all they knew was one moment it wasn't there, and the next it was.

To Talenite's dismay his second energy blast that night was absorbed. The black bladed sword the stranger held drew in the light of his blast as simply as a black surface draws in the light of the sun. 

He couldn't see the stranger's face beyond the black scarf he had over his mouth and nose, nor could he see his eyes covered by the shadow of the Black cowboy hat he wore. The black trench coat with up turned collars, stretched down to the back of the stranger's knees. The stranger had black hair though little of it could be seen under his hat, shoulder length it flowed down into the color of his coat, The tails of his scarf and ends to his coat flowing into the windy night.

Talenite didn't know who this guy was, but he had heard of their bodyguard Tuxedo Mask, and he had prepared for all situations. The chameleon-like creatures he had situated around the area during their battle now came into sight while slithering like lizards along the wall. 

"Talenite was feeling cocky, the Chamaalions he stationed here were 9 in total. He would be mildly surprised if the girls and their new friend could take down 2 before they were overwhelmed, if not by quality, but by shear quantity. Of course Talenite was not like his allies in killing indiscriminately. He would at least offer the stranger a choice.

"I don't know who you are stranger, but leave here now and you may leave with your life!" The glint of gold from the stranger's sword hilt was his only answer. Not used to of his mercy being taken for granted, Talenite grew angry. "Fine than I'll need something to carve on your headstone! Tell me your name!"

A dark, deep, vibrating, and muffled voice came out from under the scarf. "You wish to know who I am? What I am called? Than I will oblige you." He charged at the gathering group of lizardmen.

"I am your event before death!" His sword flashed in and out of one of their stomachs, while a large boot came down pinning and breaking another's neck against the concrete.

"I am the darkness that clouds your sight!" So saying he sliced another through the top of its head where it's eyes were located. It fell back shrieking.

"I am the silence that echoes through your mind" He threw his sword up in the air, grabbed one that was trying to bite him by its upper and lower jaw and ripped.

"I am the solitude that envelops your soul!" He flipped over another entrapping it in the back of his coat. He grabbed his coat by its ends tightened and twisted until an audible snap was heard, its neck snapped and it slumped to the ground.

His sword came down through the head of the one in front of him.

"Mars fire Ignite!" the smell of roast flesh, and the small "thump behind him told him they had his back.

"I am the end of your day and the beginning of your night" He continued as he drew his sword out of the creature's skull where it had buried itself. 

"Jupiter thunder Crash!" Once again the scent of roast flesh entered the air. That was eight he counted silently, that's one left.

"Mercury bubble Blast"

"Moon Tiara Magic" 

Talenite couldn't believe what he was seeing, with this stranger's help the scouts had taken the lizardmen easily. "Waitaminute!" he thought quickly "Where did he go?!" The stranger had disappeared from where he was and was nowhere to be seen. But Talenite didn't have to see him. The blade he felt along his neck told him exactly where the stranger was.

In the same voice the man continued as if uninterrupted by the events that took place.

"I am your Sundown."

"I should kill you, you pondscum, but you tried to show me mercy, for that small sense of honor you hold, I will let you live. But be forewarned, if I ever find you against me again, I will not give you so quick a death by the steel of my blade. In fact I think I'll render you limb from limb. Now go! My sword hungers for the power it might take from your death, and if you are not quick, I just might let it have you."

Talenite needed no more encouragement than that from this "Sundown" He could only run now; Queen Beryl would never except him back after failing so utterly. "Well as that Tuxedo Mask character said, I'm a coward, and if there is one thing a coward is good at doing, its running!" With that last thought he teleported away.

The girls were no longer sure about this new rescuer they somehow recruited, his manner told of evil, and his actions spoke of honor. The only thing they knew for certain was that he was dangerous. They all looked wearily from one to another, speechless to what just took place. When he looked at them, light had finally reached his eyes, and there was almost a smile in them as he tipped his hat and than faded from sight.

The girls stood a bit stunned at seeing him go, until the pain once again overcame Rei's stubborn endurance and she fell. First things first, they would see to Rei, and agree on a scout meeting at the temple the next day. Now there was much to discuss.

Endnotes: Woot! Angsty and painful. He's Sundown! Dimmer's first of, I think, three transformations. Heh. So he finally got his transformation. Took long enough its only the 6th chapter not including the prologue. Hang on to your thinking hats people 'cause things are about to get seriously complicated! Lets hope Serena can help keep things simple eh?

If I haven't lost all my readers from my last chapter, I just wanted yas to know we just hit the true starting point to this fic. Sad isn't it? I still need some advice and information on the outer senshi please, only one person has sent me anything on them! And it was the one who suggested them to me in the first place. I don't want "all" my ideas of what their like taken from fanfics here, the views are often skewed. 

So how'd ya like it? good? bad? evil? Please reiew!


	8. The Puns! The Horrible Horrible PUNS!

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

Rei sat and watched out her window as Dimmer and Chad fought over another bag of cheesy poofs. Her transformation back into herself left only a few bruises where her ribs were broken. She wondered idly if Talenite would return to fight them. He seemed much more intelligent than the others Beryl had sent after them. Of course, the stranger from last night seemed to put a heck of a scare into him too.

And that was another thing, they didn't know anything about this new person who seemed to take Tuxedo Mask's place that night. Usually they could always depend on their friend in a top hat to help out in the nick of time. He had already helped them out that night though, and usually he wouldn't stay for more than 5 minutes before they finished whatever it was off, than he'd say good bye in a gentlemanly way and take off until they needed him again. Now this stranger had showed up much like Tuxedo Mask did, only he fought beside them. His manner wasn't at all like Tuxedo Mask's either. In areas Tuxedo Mask would be sly, witty and help them indirectly, letting them figure out how to do what needed doing themselves, this Sundown had killed the threat straight out. Not only did he kill them though, he killed them brutally! Usually when the scouts fought all that was left was dust that blew away with the wind. This time there was 8 bloody corpses lying dead in a street. Only one of the lizards was moon dusted.

The way he killed seemed to put more reality into what they did. She didn't like the thought of having killed all the creatures they had met so far. Of course they had to, the creatures were trying to kill them after all, not to mention take over the world and steal people's energy to help evil grow in the universe. Just before it felt more like a care bear cartoon, they never really hurt anyone, were never really hurt themselves!

And not least of all was Dimmer. He had grown suspicious of her whereabouts last night. Seemed he was up from insomnia again, and noticed her door open. 

"I was in a real rush after all" She remembered Serena calling with her communicator, said only that Lita needed help at her apartment and signed out.

"And now Dimmer is really suspicious, he'll never let me out of his sight. Stupid Serena, it's been hard enough trying to get by Dimmer and Chad since she told them we were trying to hide our eating of cheesy poofs from them, when we were really trying to lose them in time for a sailor scout meeting." 

She leaned against the wall and sighed. And than there was Dimmer himself. He fell from the sky created an already forgotten ruckus in the center of a downtown intersection, now even the crater was repaved. His uncanny learning abilities, and his amnesia.

Than it was her, herself. It was just a couple months before, that she was recruited into the Sailor Scouts. She always wondered if she was going to be special in some way, she was always very close to the spirit world, and she had the training necessary to exorcise demons at the age of 12. She really didn't know what to think any more. Her whole world turned around, and now she wasn't only special. The whole world depended on the scouts, whether the world knew it or not. There was no longer any chance of leading a normal life for her. Her real life would always be fighting to protect life itself, while her work as a priestess would always be a disguise for her other activities. It was very lonely having a secret identity that only a few friends knew about, not even her own grandfather was allowed to know, for fear the knowledge would put him in danger. 

Rei was really starting to feel depressed, when she thought about it, that was alot one person's plate. She wondered if any of the other scouts felt overwhelmed by all this. Serena? It seemed she was trying to live a normal life even when transformed as Sailor Moon. Lita did well. She always took it in steps, which ever was the priority at the time. Amy? Well what could you say? Outside of school Amy pretty much had no life, she spent her time studying for the next test a month away, being in the scouts was good for her. It kept her in touch with people in general. In fact the only close friend she had who didn't know she was Sailor Mercury, was Dimmer.

"So Rei, you've been rather quiet, what do you think about our new masked avenger?"

Rei looked up to see Serena staring straight into her eyes not 2 inches away from her face. 

"AAAH!!" Rei windmilled her arms desperately trying to keep her chair upright. She noticed her chair stopped tipping, and she looked down gratefully at the hand that had caught her by shirt collar. She looked up at the pig-tailed owner of the hand.

Serena simply smiled. "Saved ya!"

"Yeah! Well I wouldn't have needed saving if you hadn't stuck your meatball head in my face!" 

"Please girls! Not now! This is serious!" Luna yelled causing everyone to look her way. She was standing on Rei's desk where she had been pacing all morning. "Now Rei, Serena's right. Amy thinks we should avoid him until we have further information. Lita thinks we should recruit him, he was obviously a big help last night. We can't seem to get anything out of Serena other than wondering if there is a cute face hidden under his hat and scarf. Which is as close to "I trust him" you can get from Serena, but we still have no opinion from you yet."

Rei let out a breath before saying anything. She took the small time to think on how to put what she thought into words. Than she started.

"Well, it's hard to tell isn't it? As far as trusting goes, yes, I don't think he'd lie to us. He seems more like the kind to not say anything at all if he had to lie, or change the subject to something important we couldn't ignore. As for an alliance? No. He has his own way of doing things, we have ours. Right now there is 8 dead half lizard, half man bodies sitting in an alley way that the police are looking over, that witnesses can say are connected to us! I don't think he cares if the police are after him, but I sure would if they're after me! As for watching him? Have you bothered to even think about our success in that area? Tuxedo Mask is our best ally. We know he is a friend and not a foe in any way, and look at our abilities trying to find out who he is. This stranger, this Sundown, well... if he leaves dead bodies lying around with no worries of the police finding him, than we're going to have a heck of a time trying to find him too."

"Rei's logic seems to make a lot of sense to me too, Luna" Amy pointed out, "I think he would be hard to work with. Last night left me feeling scared of him after he took down our enemies for us, not trusting as one you stand and fight with should be like. It felt more like he didn't need us, we were just something of an advantage in "his" fight. I think more of a peace treaty is in order, not an alliance."

"Yeah, makes sense to me too. He'd be a great guy to have around in a fight, but I don't know if I'd want him around afterward."

"What is wrong with you guys?" Serena didn't like this way of looking at things at all. It sounded more like we should use him before he uses us type deal. "He saved our lives last night! I couldn't have dusted all those lizards Rei! No matter what we did to those things, whatever they were, there would be something left of them. Besides two of them also have burn marks from lightning and fire. I don't remember him using any such powers either." Serena had their attention now. She didn't often bring any kind of insight to these meetings, so when she did say something intelligent, everyone would tend to listen.

"... And most importantly, he let Talenite go. He spotted some good in him, and gave him a second chance. If it were not for that, I would say, "No, I don't trust him." But I do trust him, if only for that, taking for granted he rescued us." Serena ended her speech much quieter than she started it.

Luna was about to speak; it was obvious by the way she looked she much-preferred Rei's sensible plan.

"Well that settles it, doesn't Luna?" Rei smiled "Our leader has spoken. Whether it be for good or ill, we pretty much treat this Sundown character like we do Tuxedo Mask. It's either we trust him all the way or none of the way, and I can't help but trust the guy that saved my life at least a little. We cannot judge him by appearance alone." Rei was happy Serena spoke up, by drawing the line somewhere in the middle of all this, the girls would be confused on how to treat Sundown. Maybe to the point of upsetting him. By making it you are with us or you are against us, the confusion is gone. He had saved their lives, and gave the bad guy a second chance. That meant Sundown should be 2 for 2 in her books.

"Well it is true that Sundown has only been helpful to us so far, and Serena makes a valid point about him letting Talenite go. Yes, I agree with Serena as well, I believe we should lay suspicions behind until he does something to warrant them."

"Well that makes all of us than. After all I want him to teach me a few moves; he's got one hell of a fight to him. Besides he might fight beside us again like last night, and if our enemies are getting smart like that one, I know I'd feel a lot more safe if he and the rest of my friends had my back! Did you see that? SHWOOMP!" Lita gestured with her hands "The sword came right down into the things head! Nope, you got one thing right there Rei! He ain't afraid to get dirty!"

"AAAH!"

"Ah c'mon Dimmer, there's a bruise the size of truck on your back, and you're complaining over a bit of blood on your knee!"

"Shut up and pass me a bandage!" 

"Seriously Dimmer" Chad handed Dimmer a small glow in the dark band-aid Dimmer bought and put in his backpack "just in case" "everyone is staring at us, and your acting like a little girl!"

"I can't help it! I just hate the sight of blood okay?"

"And you call yourself a martial artist!"

"No. I call myself a martial artist in training. Mainly because of this." He gestured to their situation, Dimmer holding onto his knee with a few people watching his outbursts as they walk by. 

"Well," said Chad as he gestured Dimmer to remove his hand so he could put the bandage on, "It's gonna take awhile with this thing of yours about bleeding. Hell, you go nuts if "I" start bleeding, how are you gonna go to tournaments if you freak out when you hit them and they start bleeding?"

"No prob Chad, I can focus myself if I want too. You don't see me like this when were training do ya?"

"Yeah I was wondering why it didn't happen when I actually wanted it to. There's the bar were heading to." Chad pointed at a normal sized building with a sign in the window saying kereoke tonight. Please make reservations. 

"They know you here?"

"Yup, been coming here for a while. I'll introduce you to everyone. He'll want to hear a rehearsal before he books us in for the afternoon shows. If, for some reason I can't think of, he decides we aren't good enough we wait until night and we sing our asses off to a crowd too drunk to care what it sounds like."

"As long as you remember the deal. You play slow, than, if I, for some reason "I" can't think of, will let you play fast, but it's gotta be one o' da Offspring songs I got ya to learn."

"Fine, but try to keep control of the accent, huh?"

"Hey dat's right! Aimes never did tell me where I was from."

"Your own fault, you passed right by her on your way out."

Dimmer stared a little distractedly into the bar door as they opened it to go in.

"Yeah well, I had some things on my mind." 

Truthfully he was remembering her from last night. He knew enough about the Sailor Scouts from Pidge and John, to know what the witnesses told them of what they wore. He thought the only ones they interviewed were men up for certain late television shows after hearing the girls being described. He sighed; they weren't far from the truth really. He didn't think he'd ever see anyone fight in a mini-skirt other than in street fighter games and of the sort, but now he had a feeling that's all they ever fought in. What he couldn't understand was why the people couldn't tell who they were. "Jeez, even Clark Kent at least wore glasses."

Thinking about them made him think about the whole Sundown deal. The dagger was all that was left of the ordeal, he got back to his room, and everything else disappeared in a wisp of black fog. The dagger and its sheath he put into his bag. This had him apprehensive, being Sundown was pretty much like when Bruce Banner turned into the hulk from anger. All his emotions powered his actions, especially dark ones. Anger, depression, loneliness, and terror, it fed on these things and on the emotions of other things. Before he had gotten back he'd noticed the dagger had become even more powerful after the death of the lizardmen. He wasn't lying to the purple-haired, pointy-eared guy either. The blade was crying out for the guy's blood.

"You ready for the rehearsal Dimmer?"

"Yeah. Coming." Maybe he should speak to the girls about this later…

Dimmer thought about this, and sneezed as he held the door for a tall, dark-haired young man trailing behind him.

"Someone must have been talking about me…"

Back at the scout meeting

Luna was speaking up over the girls laughing at Lita's earlier comment. "Alright girls, settle down. Okay, although I wouldn't have agreed with your decision, I am proud that you all have made this decision together, and I will try to go on about this the same way you four have chosen to. But there are still other issues here! The Negaverse has destroyed it's last general it sent after us. This "Sundown" has put a good scare into another one. But where is the Silver Emperium Crystal? Where is Zoicite? Who and what will they strike next? What about Dimmer? Who is he? These questions are all very serious matters, and we don't have an answer for any of them!"

"Well as for the crystal, and Zoicite, and what they might do I'm completely at a lost. As for Dimmer though, I may have a small bit of information about that."

"Really Amy? You know where he's from than?" Serena was ecstatic.

"Mm hmm, he's either from Newfoundland or one of the surrounding areas. They say that is where the thickest Canadian accents are derived. So he is from this universe, but what confuses me is that the police cannot find his fingerprints recorded anywhere."

"Well it's something. Good work Amy." Luna was glad of that anyway. If he was from earth, there was very little chance he would try to help destroy it.

"As for the Silver Emperium Crystal, I will try to contact headquarters on a clue its whereabouts tonight. Rei, I may not be worried about Dimmer spying for the Negaverse now, but do try to keep him in bed tonight. I'm still concerned for his health, and Serena tells me he's having a fight with insomnia."

"Fat chance Luna. He's got the night shift at the arcade tonight. It would be about as easy as wrestling with a rhino to get him away from anything that has to do with video games. It's the only real thing he has remembered since he got here."

"She's got a point there Luna" Amy sighed, not even her yelling had stopped him from going to work before. "Besides" she said. "He's so much more happy around them. Maybe he'll be so exhausted by the time he gets home he'll get some sleep. Anyway, Rei would have to transform just to keep him away."

"Oh well, at least you'll try won't you?"

"Sure Luna, I doubt it'll do any good though."

"Alright girls, it was a long night last night, I suggest…"

"We go out for lunch!" Serena interrupted Luna. To Luna's despair all the girls cheered and agreed, saying it was another brilliant idea from their leader that they would see to the end.

The girls were all chattering loudly while walking down the street to their favorite chocolate shop when they spotted a large crowd in the park. There was singing a sad sounding song in English coming from the center of it, and a quiet, serene guitar playing along to it. The girls pushed through the crowd to find Dimmer and Chad playing a duet. Their harmony and timing was perfect. A few of the people who understood the song had tears in their eyes. Serena joined them after Amy started translating the words. Dimmer and Chad didn't notice them among the crowd, and started a more upbeat, cheery song. The girls gathered from the talk and whispers around them that the crowd had gotten too big for the bar and the boys had to bring their act outside. Now Dimmer and Chad was standing on the park bench playing songs while joking around a bit.

Lita leaned over to Amy and whispered " I think Dimmer picked the spot"

"Why do you say that?" Amy was about to whisper back when she noticed what Lita was talking about.

Serena who was eavesdropping started laughing and waved up to the two boys. "Did you miss your bench that much Dimmer?" 

Dimmer finally noticing them smiled letting a little bit of his laugh go into the song. The girls must have noticed that this was the bench that he had spent some weeks sleeping on. It was true actually; he did miss the bench a little bit. He came back every so often just to sit. He didn't know why he grew an attachment to the park bench, but it happened all the same.

He did his best to help one of the homeless that had taken his bench when it was up for grabs. The poor man, Toven, lost his job and his wife and kids when a fire had tore through his store. Dimmer was currently looking for a job for the guy. 

He looked at the only other two other people laughing at Serena's shout. Seems Pidge and John were curious about the gathering crowd as well. The two policemen stood there with their coffees smiling widely at him. He smiled back; he owed those two almost all that he had now. He was scared he might have to mislead them about the girls now. They were probably going to see what he heard about the scuffle in the alley. He was, right now; very glad he had gotten rid of the bodies out of the alley.

Chad and Dimmer finished with Offspring's "Get a Job", getting the crowd to clap along. The crowd couldn't have enjoyed this one more if they could understand it. Dimmer smiled sadly as the crowd started to depart after applauding loudly. He turned back to the girls that stood before him, right now they were all smiling and joking with him and Chad, mainly about when Chad decided to learn how to play a guitar. It was hard to imagine that these were the girls that went through the same kind of things he went through last night all the time.

Right about than Pidge and John passed him a third coffee one of them had stepped off to get him earlier. He smiled; it was the only price he put on the information he gave them. Living on the streets, even for little more than a few weeks, and still keeping up with old friends who still lived on them, Dimmer could find out about almost anything. They always asked to see what he knew, and just to see what he was up to.

"Hey guys" he said "You guys wondering about the alley next to the apartment building last night?"

John just shook his head, while Pidge smiled. The girls stopped teasing Chad at once and listened to what Dimmer might have found out about last night. How much could he know? How did he find out? 

"As always, you're well informed Dimmer. What's the word on the street this time?"

Dimmer leaned in and whispered, not that the whispering helped much, everyone, even Chad, leaned into hear what he would say.

"The Sailor Scouts are real Pidge. There's no mistake. I seen them with my own eyes."

"What?!" everyone yelled at once. The girls were scared out of their wits. Had he followed Rei out? Did he know who they were? Rei had and added question. Did the pervert see me change into Sailor Mars on top of the temple roof?

"What the hell? Are you sure Dimmer?" John was ecstatic, if Dimmer really seen it than he just broke this case wide open for them.

"Mm hmm, even have proof. I know who they are too." At this the girls paled, except Rei, she turned red from embarrassment at being caught in the nude on her roof by Dimmer, figuring it to be the only way he would know who they were.

"Shit Dim! We may get promotions for this!" Pidge was laughing his heart out. They should have gone to him from the start. 

"Hold on boys, I can only do so much for yas here. Ya see they saved my skin last night." Dimmer remembered the girl's help taking out the lizards. "I'm promising them I ain't letting go of their secrets. Heroes have secret identities for a reason ya know? Letting people know would put those people, the heroes, and their loved ones in danger, so I can't tell yas." Dimmer winked right at Serena, and the girls, than he looked back at the friends that helped him out even though he was a complete stranger. He still had Pidge's oldest son's uniform. "I'm sorry." He apologized to them with no small amount of sadness.

To his surprise neither of them looked saddened by the information whatsoever. In fact they both still looked overjoyed. John could see that Dimmer was obviously confused. 

"Dimmer, we hardly mind that you can't name names. We're cops remember? We're used to of that. You can still supply hard evidence they exist? That alone will solve most of this. We'll see if the mayor can think of any way to track down superheroes if there is any. That isn't our job anyway. We're needed to solve the mystery of what's going on, little kids can't get to sleep at night because we can't figure out what's causing all this damage to their buildings and streets. If we figure out what it is, great! If we can tell them there are superheroes out there to protect them from what we can't? Even better!"

"C'mon I'll take you guys to the pier. You can swim right? It seems the bodies of these monsters don't float."

"Monster bodies? Well that will definitely tell what's going on around here, but how's that supposed to prove the Sailor Scouts exist?"

Dimmer smiled "Who else could have killed them?"

"He's got a point there."

"Whoa dude! Those gnarly girls in mini skirts exist? Monster bodies? C'mon Dimmer! I got to see this!" Chad was on his knees pulling on Dimmer's sleeve.

Pidge was about to say "Sure" when Dimmer held his hand up to stop him.

"On one condition Chad. We go splits on that Harley Davidson that came in the other day. "

"YES! Yes! Yes! Kick ass a Harley and monster bodies in one day. Thankyouthankyouthankyouythankyou!"

The two policemen, four girls, and a cat were dumbfounded. The young homeless guy that fell into their laps penniless was about to go splits for a motorcycle with the other Temple boy. Not too mention he knew who they really were, and he just finished not giving them away to the police. Rei was the first to speak, she decided to ask about the one thing the girls should actually know enough about to not cause suspicion.

"Dimmer? Chad? How can you afford that?"

"I have three jobs and I room with Chad at his condo Rei. There is a bit you might not know about me, but can you imagine how much money I can make a week without having to pay room and board or for food?"

"Not to mention I have two jobs and a pair of rich parents. The reason we live at the Temple is because we like it there Rei. Not out of shear need." Chad had taken to sitting cross-legged instead of a begging position as before.

"Actually Rei that's something I'll have to take up with your grandfather. I'd like to continue to live and train there under his study, even though I can now afford to live elsewhere." Dimmer was still worried about intruding upon their home. He would live at Chad's if he was going to interfere with them, so now there was no pressure on them accepting him out of need, and if they were uncomfortable with him there, he could simply leave. Not that he wanted too. The temple had become inviting to him. Rei, Chad, and Sensai had become people he cared for. 

But he still liked the bench too. 

While Dimmer was talking, Luna had jumped up on Rei's shoulder, to most it looked like she was just walking across Rei's shoulder, rubbing up against her with her head, but Luna was whispering. "Rei, now we have to keep an eye out on him, because he knows who we are. You can't just kick him out!"

Rei whispered back, "We're not going too Luna, he's too dangerous knowing only the physical side of our temple training, Grandpa will just be ecstatic that Dimmer "wants" to stay, instead of staying out of need." Than Rei turned to Dimmer.

"Well than Dimmer, I'll be fine to that arrangement as long as you come to lunch with us. Your treat since your saving all this money."

"But I have to go with…"

"Far be it for us to interfere with your living arrangements Dim. Pidge fish out the map! You can just mark down the spot and we'll check it out."

"Me too! Just run by the temple! I got some diving gear there! It's one of my hobbies. Besides Dimmer promised!"

"Sure why not, if you can confirm their down there, we won't have to call in the official divers in case there isn't any. Not that I don't believe you Dimmer, but if they really are monster bodies than they could've disintegrated or something like that by now."

"Hey fine by me, not like I know anything about that stuff. Hey Chad, charge the bike and ride her home, I wanna go on 'er when the girls here let me go."

"Don't you have work tonight?"

"After that!"

While Dimmer was talking Serena was already pulling him toward the shop by his hand. "Let's go already guys! I'm starving!"

The other girls laughed and waved to the police and Chad and walked off following Serena. 

The walk there was a silent, uncomfortable one. Dimmer wasn't as concerned about it all as the others though. He knew they'd have questions, he would do his best to answer them. Being Sundown was more or less being the man behind the puppet, like things weren't really happening to you, you were just watching from Sundown's eyes and letting your body act completely on its own instincts, and it seemed Sundown's instincts were brutal.

He was really surprised no one recognized Rei and her friends before though. After all, all they did was change outfits and than they were the Sailor Scouts, they probably were just lucky enough never to run into good friends or family. He idly wondered where the outfits came from, if they hid them around somewhere or did they form around them like his did. He also looked at his wallet wondering if he could afford Serena's appetite.

Rei was trying to figure it all out, Dimmer may have seen her change on the roof, but how could he follow her when she was Sailor Mars? She was 5 times her normal speed when transformed so how did he manage to follow her? Also Amy did a scan of the area after that Sundown guy left, and there was no one around. So how did he spy on them? Where was the time in between where Dimmer would have had to catch up with her? Sure he is getting as fast as Serena from sprinting with her everyday, but even at that speed, he shouldn't have even been able to come close to her.

Amy had something of that sort on her mind as well. It was of course plausible that he followed Rei on her way there, even if he was just walking by and seen the fight and one of them reforming into their regular selves. It was even possible that he managed to avoid her scanning of the area, but there was something he said when talking to the police officers that kept her curious. He said the Sailor Scouts had "saved his skin". How? They didn't even see him there; did they save him without knowing it? Something wasn't adding up here.

Lita was just confused. She was fighting since it all began on her roof. She was also a little worried of the damage done there, but more importantly, even than Dimmer in her eyes, how did Talenite know where she lived? Did he know who she was? Were her friend's families in danger too? Did Talenite somehow figure out their identities like Dimmer had?

Serena was a little more focused on the here and now. She was looking at one friend to another feeling more than a little uncomfortable. She could tell they all had a lot on their minds, but could hardly stand walking in the silence of these six (I include Luna) gloomy girls. She sighed than looked at Dimmer getting an idea. 

"Hey Dimmer, I have a question for you."

All the girls and Dimmer stared at Serena waiting for what ever she was going to say. They all knew Serena would talk about whatever she was curious about anywhere, even on a busy street like the one they were on now. Dimmer was mildly surprised it was Serena who was going to start the interrogation.

"Okay Serena. Shoot."

"Dimmer?" she pointed a finger dramatically at him making their walk stop, "How do you make holy water?"

The girls all just sweatdrop while Dimmer puts his hand up to his chin to think. His spiritual training never went that far at the temple yet, usually Rei was in charge of all that. 

"Okay, I'll bite. How?"

"Boil the hell out of it."

The girls all face fault, and Dimmer laughs and applauds for Serena. 

"Good one," he gives her two thumbs up.

Amy just groaned "Oh no you two aren't gonna start that up again are you?"

"I hope the rain keeps up."

Serena couldn't imagine wanting it to rain (especially if there was thunder involved) "Why would you want that?"

"That way it doesn't come down."

Amy, Rei, Lita, And Luna all wince at the horrible pun. Serena looks on with respect. 

"Very well Dimmer, now the duel will commence. I've chosen the place, you choose the weapons."

"I choose…" (you know Ash's twirl and peace sign when he gets a pokemon? Dimmer does that) "Star wars!!"

A very quiet "no" was heard from the four (including Luna) onlookers of the most corniest joke fest these poor girls would ever listen to. Including lines like " Is it getting Darth out?" and "Luke over there!" Needless to say, all four were mentally scarred for life. It was with great pleasure and cheering that they entered the chocolate shop, knowing the duel of the most horrible jokes would probably be continued at some later time. Hopefully when they were not around. It ended at these last few remarks. 

"Now that thE-Wok to the chocolate shop has been finished so has our duel!" Serena smiled thinking that would end it the match for her. She would be disappointed.

"Very well Serena. We'll call it a draw, until we can finish this Vader."

"Oooo one of these days Dimmer, I'll win this yet."

"Not as long as I'm breathin', besides didn't ya wanna order somtin'?"

Serena turned too look at the menu. She could feel the water start to tear up in her eyes, as she tried to decide what wonderful dessert would end up as hers today. She decided to be nice to Dimmer and only order three desserts this time, considering he was paying and all. She smiled as she looked at her friends already sitting at the tables with their orders. Their brooding done, it seemed all of them were just relieved the contest was over, and were enjoying the peace and laughing. It seemed Lita was telling them a funny story. Wait a minute! Did she just hear her own name? Serena stormed over to the table only to find that she missed the punch line and everyone was laughing. She pulled up a seat, and though she looked like she was in a huff on the outside, she smiled inwardly. "At least they're laughing now, even if it is me they're laughing at."

Endnotes: *shudders* puns, oh horrid puns…

Well there's a taste of the joke fests that may go on between Serena and Dimmer. Next time I say "corny joke fest", you'll know what I'm talkin about and not need anymore of an explanation. Enough about that.

It's aug.1! my birthday! Yay! I wasn't going to upload this chapter so quick, but it's my birthday so why not eh?

Besides, it seems chapter 6 has scared all my reviewers off so I don't think anyone will notice and if someone does, I won't know. I only hope there are people like me reading this who have read countless fics and just not review them. For you poor people I actually managed to hook, I will finish this fic. I warn you that it's a long one, and my first one. I'm now finished writing up to chapter 17 (not including editing that I will have to do to not offend people more than I have, and trying to find information on outer senshi that I know so little about it'd be frightening if I included them in)

The good part is that I actually have thought up the end, so this fic WILL end, mind you probably not until after chapter 20 some time. Seriously I'm sick of getting addicted to fics that are so cool but are never again updated or finished. I will try to upload once a week, or every two weeks 'til finished. If that happens to be too slow for some, drop me a line or a review with an email address and I'll give ya however many chapters ya want. 

Warning: the chapters I send you may differ to those presented here, they maybe editted differently to avoid offending or scaring off any more people and some plot point I stick the outer senshi in may be missing.

Good luck and good reading ^^V


	9. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and this is my first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

Dimmer paid for the meal than went to sit with the girls. "Now, I imagine you probably have a few real questions you guys were looking for answers too. If I can answer them I will."

"Yeah", the mood at the restaurant table was once again serious, and Rei was the first to speak, "First question. Who are the sailor scouts?" Best make sure he really does know before giving it away, she thought to herself.

Dimmer just looked at Rei with a single raised eyebrow. "Gee. I wonder. Come on Rei just because you change outfits doesn't stop someone from recognizing people. You guys are worse than Lois is in Superman comics. At least Clark wears glasses too. Besides, its kinda hard to mistake Serena's hair style for anyone else's."

The girls just laughed nervously, most scratching the back of their heads while looking away. "Than you didn't see me transform on top of the temple roof?" Rei continued.

"Transform eh? Okay so you guys have to summon your powers? Do the funky costumes come with it? Somehow I don't see Amy wearing a mini skirt any other way." 

"Yes, but that isn't important now Dimmer." Amy continued where Rei left off, "My question is how did you find out about last's nights battle with the Negaverse?"

"Negaverse? Looked to me like you guys were going after that ice cream vendor guy. Why you guys at each other's throats anyway? And where'd those lizard things come from? Do you guys know magic?"

"Ah ah ah. Dimmer, answer our questions first, than we'll answer yours. Lady's first don't ya know?" Lita could understand why Dimmer wants to know. If she was in his position she'd be bursting with questions too, but in the position she was already in, she had some stuff that needed a bit of answering before they went into any long stories of how the Sailor Scouts were formed or who the Negaverse was.

"I'm sorry. You're right of course, you guys first, me second, what was that last question again? How I knew about the fight? Can't really say for sure. Was up late last night, got that feeling ya get when something bad is about to go down, went to where the feeling was strongest. Seen you girls 'bout to be hit from behind with some pink "magic or energy" ball."

"Is that all there is to it Dimmer? You look like your not telling me everything." Amy knew their was more to this, there had to be. Was this the reason Dimmer showed up here? Who was he, really? No one just falls from the sky, and lands without so much as a scratch, let alone is able to see through the magic disguises of their Sailor Scout uniforms, and can be just that good at learning things. He had to have some purpose here. He probably had just forgotten what he was here for when he picked up the amnesia. Something wrong must have happened somewhere for him to lose his memory. Or maybe he didn't lose his memory at all, and is looking for something. She just didn't know what to think of this whole mess. And was he, somehow, in the way of the energy ball Talenite shot at them. If so it was Sundown that "saved his skin" not the Sailor Scouts, but knowing as little as he claimed to know, there was no way he would know who Sundown was, and it might have looked like he was a part of the scouts considering the way he protected them.

"Well other than what you probably already know." He made a gesture very similar to the tipping a hat the same way Sundown did the girls last night. "No Aimes I can't think of anything else."

So he saw Sundown. The Scouts started to get an idea of what was going on here. 'Cept Serena. 

"So you have super powers too Dimmer? That's great. Maybe you can help us."

"Well than Dimmer, you probably can't answer this one, but this needs to be asked." Lita decided to bring the girls to what concerned her most with the new state of affairs. "How did Talenite know where to find me? Did he somehow see through our disguises like Dimmer here has? Does that mean they know who we are? If so all of your families' lives are in danger here."

Amy was about to ask Dimmer something else when Lita made her statement. Amy thought she knew what happened, Sundown saved Dimmer when saving the scouts from that surprise attack from Talenite. From the gesture Dimmer had made that looked like the tip of the hat Sundown gave them, it was obvious he knew who Sundown was. He probably just got out of there before Amy made the scan of the area while they were helping Rei up. She was about to ask him why he left; normally Dimmer would have tried to see if there was anything he could do to help. Of course he might have just left when Sundown did, and not have seen Rei collapse like she had. But the point Lita brought up put these thoughts aside. If the Negaverse had found out who they were, it would mean serious trouble.

"Oh no!" Serena had gone from plain curious from where Dimmer was concerned to horrified at Lita's exclamation. "What are we gonna do?"

"Don't panic yet Serena. It might have just been coincidence, and I think Sundown probably scared him off anyway. We can't overreact to this."

"I agree with Rei." Amy voted her own opinion. "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared. We should still take extra precautions while changing, and going home from battles in the future."

"Right!" The other three said in unison.

"Hey! Don't forget about me here. What do you want me to do? I gotta be able to help." Dimmer couldn't help but want to help now that he had a transformation of his own. 

"You" Rei pointed at him. "Can do your best to stay out of it. If you want to keep an eye out for suspicious characters, or stuff like that, it's fine, but don't confront them! Just let us handle that part." After all, Rei thought, So far all he has is amazing powers of perception. That's useful, but it alone won't let you stand up in a fight. "Face it Dimmer. You don't know everything you can do yet. It's just too dangerous to go out without knowing the full extent of your powers"

Dimmer just scratched his head remembering how much help he was last time. "Well okay Rei, I guess that makes sense… but if I can do anything to help you guys I will!"

Amy, knowing Dimmer, knew that was the best they were going to get from him. "That's good Dimmer. Just don't underestimate us either. We wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves if we let you get hurt." There, that should make him think about the situation before rushing in, at least.

"But back to the question at hand" Lita spoke up, "What precautions do we take?"

The girls all came up with different ideas, but couldn't decide on any. They all looked at Luna who sat on Serena's lap. Luna looked to Dimmer and sighed "Well," She thought, "He's gonna find out eventually anyway…"

"Okay, girls I think Rei and Amy's ideas are for the best, Serena your just being silly, and Lita stop encouraging her." Serena's idea was to make a secret base somewhere and go there every time they wanted to have a meeting, and change there whenever their radar, they'd have Amy build, detected Nega-activity and head to the spot in super cool vehicles. They kept adding more stuff as they talked excitedly. It was pretty much a redone comic of Batman's batcave, only for the scouts. Dimmer just laughed and shook his head until Luna talked. Than looked around not recognizing the voice, or where it came from.

Luna jumped on top of the table about to proclaim herself as the one who spoke. She was promptly grabbed in an "Elmira" fashion as Dimmer cuddled her affectionately, forgetting all about the mysterious voice. There were only two thoughts on his mind; first, he had a distinct sinking feeling Chad had just opened a bag of Cheesy Poofs. His second thought was…

"Kitty!!"

The scouts couldn't keep the laughter away, as they seen their guide was being half cuddled, half strangled by Dimmer. There's only so much humiliation one can take before blowing up. This was Luna's limit. 

"That's enough!!" 

Luna shouted into the crowded chocolate shop. As every one inside stopped to look at the four girls, guy, and cat, crickets could be heard chirping outside. The scouts' eyes widened. How were they gonna explain this? Dimmer stood up abruptly and looked at Serena with anger in his eyes. 

"What do ya mean ya want another!?" he shouted at her, making tears well up in her eyes. "You've already had enough for two people! You know I can't afford any more!" 

That did it. The blonde's arms fell to her sides and the water factory was in full throttle. It was the first time Serena ever seen Dimmer angry, and she didn't even know what she did.

"Hey buddy! Settle down! I know the meatball head eats a lot, but that's nothing to yell at her for." A tall, young man with short, black hair walked up to the table.

Serena settled down to just a few streams from her eyes as she seen someone was trying to defend her. Until she seen who it was, and realized what he said. Than she switched from crying too angry and annoyed in less than a second. "Great, just who I needed. Darien. Bug off you black-haired booger. I do not eat a lot, and you insult me more than Dimmer ever could." She gestured vaguely toward Dimmer who was eyeing the blue cat in his lap.

"Aww Come on meatball head, can't take a joke?"

"Make fun of my hair one more time Darien, and I swear you're going to regret it!"

Dimmer stopped to look up at the pair fighting. He smiled. "Holy damn! You got a ting for Serena don't cha b'y?"

By this time everyone else in the store went about their business, being used to of the racket the girls and their friends usually caused. The girls' table, however, went so quiet you could still hear the crickets. Darien's jaw dropped, while Serena's mouth widened into a grin. The other girls were all holding in the laughter that was trying to leak out. 

Sparkles started to shine in Serena's eyes, and her hands folded together, slowly moved to cover mouth "Oh my God!"

She was gone before he could blink, than she popped up from behind his left shoulder. "Really Darien?"

He went to look at her to respond, but she had already moved to his other shoulder. "Is that why you tease me all the time?"

Sweating now, again he went to look, but she moved back to his other shoulder. This time she was looking far away, ignoring Darien. "I can't believe it! Darien's got a crush on meee! Just imagine all these years of teasing me was just to hide his love!"

"Hey! that's not how it is at all!" yelled Darien who had finally found her after she started staring off into space. "And stop doing that!"

While the girls were all out right laughing, Lita had fallen backwards off her chair. Dimmer, however, was not laughing. He had an evil smirk on his face. "Are you sure about that Darien?" he asked, eyes sparkling with a mischievous light, "But weren't you just coming over to defend her?"

"I can't believe you actually think I 'like' the meatball head!" 

Serena was about to start yelling at him again, over Darien calling her names, again, but Dimmer had spotted another opening.

"Don't get too worked up Serena" he said, patting her shoulder to calm her down again, "after all if your theory of him loving you from afar is correct, than wouldn't that make the term 'meatball head' a form of endearment?"

Amy was helping Lita up when hit with another wave of laughter and Amy had fallen down to join her. Rei was holding on to her side, trying to tell Dimmer to shut up so she could get a break from laughing. Darien's face had turned to a dark shade of red. 

"Come on girls" Dimmer laughed while helping Lita and Amy up, "Lets finish this at the temple. Chad will be there soon, and I wanna see that bike!"

And so the girls left the stunned Darien standing there while they headed off toward the temple. Darien finally noticed they were gone. He started chuckling to himself. "I can't believe it. The meatball head finally got one over on me, with help from that Dimmer. Now I know your name, but whose side are you on?" He thought back to last night.

Tuxedo Mask, came back to see if the battle against… Talenite, he believed the name was? was the threat that kept bothering his senses. To his surprise the girls had another protector, but he fought brutally, taking out the lizards with a black sword, and chasing off Talenite, it seemed for good. He decided to follow this stranger home, and to his surprise found him to be staying at the temple. He could only hope that this Sundown was truly on the girl's side. Maybe it meant he could spend more time looking for the crystal. He had just learned the name the girls knew him by. "Dimmer" he said quietly to himself, "I hope our paths run the same way."

Half way down the street Dimmer sneezed. They had decided to take the scenic route to the temple, along one of the less busy streets. The sun was almost completely obscured by the buildings, and it was lining the buildings in a bright outline of red. The street lights had all begun to turn on. Lita and Serena were laughing as they were inventing a giant scenario where Darien was following Serena all this time. Dimmer simply laughed while Amy and Rei talked further about the scout business. Luna hadn't said much since the incident at the shop. 

"You two do realize I was just making that stuff up about Darien, don't ya?"

"Oh of course Dimmer, I wouldn't go out with that jerk for a week off school!" 

"And ummm... Luna?" He bent down toward the cat. "Can you really talk?"

The cat sighed, "Yes, Dimmer, I can."

"Wick~ed!" he picked her up and cuddled her again. "You do know I'm sorry about stepping on your tail that time?"

Luna, who was surprised at finding herself in Dimmer's arms again, gave him at flat look, "Yes Dimmer, I know you're sorry. You've only apologized to me an innumerous amount of times."

"That's right!" Dimmer said in a voice that was meant for talking to babies, " I'm sorry, yes I aaaam." Than he ruffled up her fur on top of her head. He turned to Serena. "Sorry about hollering at ya back there. I wasn't mad, I knew what I was getting into with your appetite. I was just getting the attention off Luna here."

"Hmph! well you better be sorry, I've a good mind not to speak to you again for that!"

Dimmer's eyes dilated into 1/10 their normal size. He swallowed back the evil things to say about "her with a good mind, or her not speaking again". Just too many comebacks, and conscience won't let me say them. Consequences too high!

"I'm sorry girls, I nearly gave ourselves away. If agents from the Negaverse were there, they'd already know who you are. There's obviously not too many talking cats around. All of you worried about giving yourselves away, and I might have just done it for you. Dimmer, please put me down."

"No."

"Huh?"

"Kitty's upset, she needs her bowl of milk."

"Dimmer, please?! Don't treat me like a..."

"Cat?"

"No! I am a cat, just don't treat me like an ordinary cat."

"I'm not, I'd do the same thing for Rei if she was upset over an accident, or something stupid like that. Though I don't think it would be as easy to carry her to the temple, and I don't think she'd enjoy drinking out of a bowl of milk."

Luna would have argued that point on anybody else, but with Dimmer, he'd probably do just that. So she just sighed and began to straighten out her fur on her head with her paw. Besides it looked like Rei was about to kill him anyway.

Lita was commenting to Serena and Amy after Amy had described what she could make of Dimmer's story, while in the background Dimmer was holding Luna up as a shield to stop Rei from hitting him. 

"So let me get this straight. Dimmer has the ability to sense supernatural things or when his friends might be in danger, so he came running from where ever he was. Than he spotted us getting surprised attacked by Talenite. Sundown saved us and him, and he thinks Sundown is part of us, and that's why he thinks we saved him." 

"Yup, you got it."

"Wow Amy, you figured it all out!" Serena was, as usual, ecstatic.

Dimmer stopped, "What? You mean you guys haven't figured out that I'm... aaahhh!!" Luna had gotten out of his hands and started scratching his face, than Rei came down on his head with her fist. Dimmer's face met the ground while his feet were still up in the air. Rei was clapping the dirt off her hands. "So that brings us to Sundown, and what we should do about him."

Dimmer was back up in a flash "Hey, whaddaya mean?"

"Didn't we already decide on that?"

"Yeah, but should we ask him? or will he even show up next time?" The girls had gathered around in a circle, leaving Dimmer to run around it trying to get their attention. 

"Asking would be a lot easier, considering he's RIGHT BEHIND YOU!!"

"We should probably just ask, he'll tell us won't he?" Lita put in her opinion.

Dimmer pulls out a set of lights that they use to wave down air planes and waves them frantically, "He's trying to tell you!!"

"But will he show up next time is the question." Amy wondered.

Dimmer started playing a one-man band behind them. They weren't affected in the slightest.

"I guess we will find out than." Luna answered for them, "For now we should just go home, and gets some sleep. I want people sensing for that crystal tomorrow. I'm going to talk to master control, and see what I can come up with."

Finally Dimmer had enough, he took in a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could,

"I AM SUNDOWN!"

He looked up and saw Rei staring at him... from the other end of the street. All the other girls had left to go home. 

"You coming?" Rei hollered to him.

Dimmer was shaking in frustration. "One thing." he said to himself, "If one more thing happens..." It was than the street lamp turned off above him.

Dimmer's eyebrow arced upward.

A view of the city at night was quiet, and stunning. That is until from somewhere within, a lone scream was heard. 

"BASTARD!!"

"Did you honestly think you could escape me?" Queen Beryl looked down upon her tortured servant. "You're disgusting, however your information about our newest enemy intrigues me. Zoicite!"

Zoicite appeared suddenly, "You summoned me my queen?" 

"Yes Zoicite, take this traitor and use him to your purposes. If he gets in your way either kill him, or if time permits, bring him back here and I will let him sleep forever."

"Yes my Queen," she held her hand out toward Talenite, who was now shaking in fear and pain from his wounds. He was teleported away. "Will that be all my Queen?"

"No. Not yet Zoicite. I've noticed you haven't been busy lately. What are your plans for the sailor scouts, and to retrieve the rainbow crystals? It seems as though you do nothing."

"Actually Queen Beryl, I've found one more of the holders of the crystal, I plan to have it here tonight."

"Very well Zoicite, bring it back here, or you may join your already fallen comrades."

"It will be as you say, my Queen."

"I hope so Zoicite... for your sake."

Endnotes: Update time! Well what can I say. Lots of explaining, lots of wrong conclusions, and Dimmer starts to show some frustration. You can be sure the mistaken identity won't last long, its obvious he ain't very good at keeping secrets. 

Woot! Darien has made a cameo! The question has been asked why he'd follow Dimmer home and never think of doing it for the scouts. Its probably the point that the scouts are probably looking out for him, while Dimmer never even seen the guy before, so why would he expect a stalker?

And it only took 9 chapters to get to the story line of the actual show! Wow. You know I suddenly feel very inept at this…

Hey, its been a while since I updated. I was going steadily before, but though many chapters are finished, I want to make this stretch out so I'll always have something for ya to read until its end. So expect a bit of a longer time period between updates, not too much of one though. 2 weeks would be far too long in my book.

Read & Review

Later!


	10. Every Night Has its Dawn

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and this is my first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

"Yeee haaaaah!!" Dimmer's voice was lost in the wind as he hung unto Chad who was driving the bike. It was the same night after the talks at the chocolate shop. After coming home that night Chad came back with the bike taking Dimmer's mind off the problems at hand. They had taken off that very night and still hadn't come back. They were going for one of Chad's getaways out to his cabin. It was pretty much a joy ride. It was about midnight when they arrived at his cabin. They were both laughing walking through the front door. 

"Dude that was wick~ed!"

"I know" Chad said " "I" was driving. Know what else was cool?"

"Wha?"

"Those monster bodies! They were gruesome!"

Dimmer rolls his eyes "I should of known." He gestured by putting a finger in his mouth, mimicking the sound of puking.

"Oh yeah, the blood thing. How did you figure out all that stuff about the lizard carcasses and the scouts dude?"

Dimmer just smiled, "ah ah ah, it's a seeeecret."

"Your downfall dude. You couldn't keep a secret if your life depended on it. Now give!"

"well… ummm… but…"

"Give, give, give, give, give, give, give, give, GIVE!"

"Alright, alright, ALRIGHT! Just shut up! Jeez man."

Chad arced his eyebrow as he took a seat on the couch there, and Dimmer took a seat in recliner across from him. "Sooo…..?"

"Fine…."

INSERT ONE EXPLANATION HERE!

"So you can turn into a super guy by holding a dagger that puts you through hell and back before giving you power, and you only did it once in real life and once in a dream?"

"Ummm… yup that pretty much sums it up."

"Dude? That is cool, did you bring the dagger?"

"Mm hmm, after all if I'm gonna be a super hero, I thought I should probably be prepared in case it needs me."

"How do you know when it needs you?"

"Probably gets that aura deal that went on before that made me all nauseous and stuff."

"Dude! Let's see it."

Dimmer took the dagger out of his bag he brought with him, and laid it on the coffee table in front of them. It's swiveled dark blade wining its way sown to the gold glinting off the hilt.

"Dude your right. It even looks evil."

"No shit."

"Well than dude, I won't blab your secret as long as you do one thing for me."

"And what's that?"

"I want you to contact me whenever you're about to go do your thing. Don't worry I'm gonna stay far away from the fight. I just want to know."

"Well, alright as long as you stay the hell away from there. I don't want you into this you got that?"

"Hey I just said, didn't I? We got a deal? Shake on it." Chad leaned over and put out his hand.

Dimmer looked at the outstretched hand thoughtfully. It don't sound like he's playing on anything, and he may help as an alibi to where me and Rei went during Negaverse battles to Sensei. "Alright, you got yourself a deal." He reached out and took Chad's hand.

"Alright lets get this deal straight. Whenever you transform I'll know right?"

"Right."

They shook hands twice over the black bladed dagger laying on the coffee table, when the dagger began to glow with a black light. It formed around the hands as they shook. Dimmer and Chad immediately tried to let go, but they found their hands were bound together, as tight as if their hands were in concrete. Finally it let their hands go free. They both took their hands back and looked them over to see if they were still the same.

"uuuh… Chad? I could be wrong, but I think that deal was just sealed."

"No Shit. Okay, that was just freaky enough to make me tired. Your room's down the hall and to the right, I'm in the room to your left. Night dude."

"Night man, see ya in the morning." 

Dimmer yawned as Chad went into the room. 'I should probably get to bed myself. Heh, maybe I'll get a whole night's sleep for once." Dimmer got up, stretched and for once had a peaceful night's sleep. He didn't notice the dagger he left on the coffee table start glowing. 

Next morning

Dimmer was having the life shaken out of him as per usual mornings. With what little sleep he got the temple residents have come to start shaking him by the scruff of his neck to get him up. He had looked around to familiarize himself with his surroundings before realizing where he was.

"Come on Dude! Wake up! I want to take you out to the shooting range today. After that we can train, and than practice for the gig next week."

"Jeez Chad, certainly got the day planned out don't cha?"

"Yes, now get up! I'm getting breakfast together now."

"Alright, alright I'm up." Dimmer yawned and stretched before getting up to do his morning exorcises. By the time Chad came back to tell him his breakfast was ready, he was about to hit the shower.

"Oh no you don't get out there and eat, take your shower after."

"Heh, fine by me, where's the grub?"

"Living room, Come on, I rented grand theft auto 3 from that place you work."

"Wick~ed!" 

Dimmer went to grab his breakfast and Chad snuck into the washroom behind him. 

"Hey!"

"Your loss, my gain. Go eat."

Dimmer grumbled as he walked by the table grabbed the food, tilted up the plate and swallowed it all in a single gulp. He than went back to the washroom door and waited. Chad walked out the door and ducked the incoming kick, than flipped away from Dimmer's onslaught. Dimmer walked in the washroom and slammed the door behind him as Chad laughed and walked to the kitchen to grab a snack. He opened the cupboard, the orange glow of hundreds of bags of cheesy poofs made his eyes start to water as he took one out.

In the shower Dimmer stopped. His eyes opened wide. He was washed and dressed in less than two seconds. Chad turned around to see a dripping wet Dimmer in a fighter's stance before him.

"Your senses grow strong! But your fighting abilities are still equal to my own! You will not have them Dimmer! They are mine!'

"Not for long Chad, not for long. Yah!"

The two fighters fought bravely, when a black glow started surrounding Dimmer. He was getting faster, much faster. Chad was now on complete defense trying to dodge Dimmer's moves. He pushed up on one of Dimmer's punches slammed both hands hard into Dimmer's chest and flipped away. To his surprise, Dimmer wasn't even pushed back by the blow, and the black aura formed into a trench coat and scarf. Still he kept coming, a strong kick while flipping sent Chad out the back door and into his yard. Dimmer was holding the bag of cheesy poofs with his teeth. Chad got up and ran at him, and was simply thrown into his own garage, as a black, dressy cowboy hat formed around Dimmer's, or now Sundown's head. He pulled down his scarf and opened the bag of cheesy poofs, when something buzzed by and took the bag with it. Sundown looked toward the tree where the bag of cheesy poofs now hung by a dart. He looked back over in the direction of the garage. Chad was there, and he was holding a dart gun, and wearing a bright white trench coat of his own, and a large rifle strapped to his back.

"So, your stronger and quicker in that form huh? I still will not let you get the cheesy poofs so easily."

Sundown smiled. You could always count on Chad to make things interesting. He charged, but was forced back as two pistols came out of Chad's sleeves and started pounding bullets into him. The bullets felt like very strong kicks, but having 16 strong kicks to block can still keep one busy. Chad ran out of ammo, and Sundown took this chance to charge again. To his surprise Chad charged as well. Chad managed to duck the initial blow, and came up with an uppercut. Sundown simply smiled letting Chad hit him, just to let Chad know what he was up against. He would hardly feel one of Chad's normal punches, but Chad had a surprise. Chad pulled the trigger of the sawed off shotgun he had hiding in his sleeve. This sent Sundown flying into the air, where Chad, who had taken out two uzzi's, pelted him with magazine rounds.

Sundown came down in a heap. "I've underestimated him. But not again!" Sundown pulled out his dagger, and it quickly formed into a sword for him. Chad was firing again. Putting Sundown on a defensive. Sundown's mind clouded over into a silent darkness, he was still dodging most of the bullets, but there were still ones that hit,. The silence and darkness grew welling up inside of him until he felt he was ready to burst. He needed something he needed… needed, he needed release! His eyes sparkled in sudden clarity. 

"Daaarrk, pooooweeeeerrr, REEEEEELEAAAAAAASE!"

Out of his sword came a black energy ball, and the power he was holding was released into it. It disintegrated the bullets from the uzzi's and flew straight at Chad. 

"Oh shit!"

Chad grabbed the large rifle on his back and jumped back as he pumped explosive rounds into the ki-ball. They were slowing it down, but not stopping it. So he flicked a switch on the rifle and from the lower barrel came a grenade. An explosion ensued and when the dust cleared, Two battered opponents stood in ready stances.

Once again Sundown charged.

Chad took out the now reloaded pistols and began firing. Sundown let out another Ki-blast, and Chad sent out another grenade he pulled from under his coat. Another explosion, but to his surprise Chad saw Sundown come right through it.

"Amazing" he thought, "He ran into the middle of the explosion and the chi blast and he's still standing."

Sundown brought his fist up into Chad's stomach making Chad bend over in pain. Chad smiled as the world blurred from pain. Despite being human, and only human, he still managed to put up a fight to his sparring partner.

Sundown's aura slid back into the dagger that had come from no where, and now lay safely in its sheath at Dimmer's waist. Dimmer slowly set his friend down as astonishment set in. People were able to hold off the Negaverse. He smiled to himself. The girls didn't have to be the only ones who had to fight. He walked over to the tree where the cheesy poofs hung, grabbed a handful, and put the half-full bag by his unconscious friend. He wondered what had happened. Did he get too into the fight? Had he summoned the knife somehow?

Dimmer came to the conclusion that to get into the fight that much, would summon the dagger to him, and force him into being Sundown.

"Well good. It'd kinda be suspicious if I carried this around with me all the time." He patted the dagger at his side. "Don't think Miss. Grant would appreciate me bringing it to class with the kids anyway."  
A nauseous feeling came over Dimmer. He felt the darkness start trying to seep in through his skin. "The girls!" he thought, and immediately allowed the darkness to form. It was mid-morning when Sundown had appeared twice. 

"Ever get the feeling that it's gonna be a long day?" Sundown asked to himself as he sped down the high ways with giant leaps. He had no idea about how right he was.

"Greg!" Sailor Mercury yelled as the young boy who had changed into the monster attacked Lita and Rei. "Zoicite! Let him go!" 

"Sorry Sailor brats! Talenite! You sniveling coward, take this back to Queen Beryl at once. You're useless as you are now." 

She watched an incredibly scared stiff Talenite catch the crystal she had thrown to him. He smiled gratefully and all but took off at full speed into the portal he had made. Zoicite smirked. Talenite was very useful, well at least his mind was. He had come up with the perfect plan after his spies had seen Sailor Mercury getting close to the crystal bearer. But he begged not to be brought along to the fight. She couldn't understand why. He had probably some of the best battle tactics she had ever heard of, but he didn't want to be anywhere near the battle. As he was, he was just giving the Negaverse a bad name.

She smiled looking down at the fight. Sailor Moon was attacked earlier before she could come to help, outnumbered nine to one by Talenite's lizards, Tuxedo Mask, as expected showed up to help out. They were still fighting in an alley not too far away. Meanwhile these Sailor Scouts had now to gauge their attacks for fear of hurting their friend who had become the monster.

Mercury looked on with horror; her fog could hardly do anything against this monster. He seemed to have a more powerful version of Greg's power. He could tell where they were in spite of the fog, and he could always seem to tell what it was they were going to do next. In short, they were getting beaten within an inch of their lives. 

"Mars fire IG…" During the middle of her attack Mars saw only enough of the clawed hand coming towards her that she wouldn't have time to complete it. She wouldn't stop though. She had to get some kind of hit on him friend or no. He was just to fast; they had to slow him down somehow. If she managed to get this attack off by taking the hit, it might just be able to slow him down. "NITE!" 

The beast called out in horrible pain, and she could smell burnt flesh, but the pain she had been expecting had not come. "Mercury, clear the fog! I can't see what it happened!". Quickly Mercury did as told. 

There stuck in the wall was the monster's arm, it was pinned there by a familiar black swiveled blade. With its other arm it reached out and pulled the sword out. It looked at it curiously for a second when some kind of reaction from the sword blew it back against one of the cars.

The civilians had all run from the intersection they had started the fight in long ago. Once again the streets were to be destroyed in the battles against the Negaverse, but this time there was no mistaking the Scouts as some movie scene taking place, or some kind of publicity stunt. Their battles across town, the evidence, and police admission had made front page news that morning, and after seeing the fight in the busy intersection, no one was left around. Accept an over zealous photojournalist. 

The sword, seemingly with a mind of its own, spun back up to the hand that had thrown it.

"So... you're this Sundown Talenite keeps whining about?"

Sundown's eyes smiled underneath his hat as he held up Talenite tied up in telephone wire that just happened to be hanging around. "You might soon be able to tell why he is so disturbed by me. This looks kinda valuable so I thought I might keep it. Don't mind do you?" He held a crystal up between his thumb and index finger. Than it disappeared beneath his trenchcoat.

"Why you! Give that back!" Zoicite jumped toward him, anger rushing her forward. Sundown brought his sword down ready to strike or counterstrike when a rose came out of no where to skim by Zoicite's face. She stopped her charge to wipe the blood off her face. She stared down in shock at her own blood smeared on her gloved hand. The rose continued towards Sundown who just stepped around it, letting it barely catch his coat

Sundown scowled at the man in a black cape and top hat. "Do you realize how very rude it is to interrupt a fight like that."

"I'm sorry my fellow dark dressed friend. And for more than just interrupting you and your fight. But apologies and introductions can come later; you should not be so quick to attack those who look like monsters any more. This particular one was once human; the Negaverse turned him into this.

Sundown looked at Talenite, who nodded his head almost imperceptibly. "Then how do we defeat it?"

Tuxedo Mask just looked to Sailor Moon who was already in the process of healing Greg with her scepter. After turning back into the boy He fell over in a heap. 

"Forgetting someone?" interrupted a very annoyed voice from above. "You! masked man, the one who cut me! Dare you try your luck again?"

Jupiter spoke up. "Aren't you a little outnumbered Zoicite? I thought you'd be gone by now. Usually you Nega twerps are always gone after your monsters destroyed."

Zoicite looked down to count the four Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, and a stranger, of whom they knew nothing about. The scout was right. Even for her 6 to 1 odds weren't good. That means they got the crystal, Queen Beryl was going to be upset.

"Fine than scouts! I'll leave for now, but I'll be back for those crystals! Talenite! Come!" at that she made a portal back to the Negaverse. 

Talenite, still tied up in telephone wire, got up, looked to Sundown, than made his own way to the Negaverse.

Sailor Moon looked to Tuxedo Mask and went sparkly eyed, "Oh! Tuxedo Mask! You saved me again! I would never have made it past those lizards if you didn't help!"

"Remember Sailor Moon. I look for the crystals too, I do not wish to make enemies of you scouts if I do not have to. When the time comes, I may have to take yours from you if our interests conflict. Beware scouts! I'll be back for the crystals as well." 

He than jumped to the roof. He didn't realize he had Sundown hot on his trail. It was several rooftops later he realized when something grabbed onto his foot and slammed him into the top of the building he was over at the time.

"You threaten my friends and expect to leave so easily? What is this crystal?!" Sundown sounded furious, his voice came out more as growling than actual words, "Worried that your interests are different than the scouts? What exactly are your interests that those girls down there might not want to help you?! You better give me some answers Monkey-suit boy, or I'm gonna stick that cane of yours up your hole sideways! Now spill it!"

Tuxedo mask pulled a rose from nowhere and hurled it at Sundown, who caught it, barely stopping from being buried in his face. Tuxedo Mask used it as a distraction to get out of Sundown's hold on his foot and somersault backward to his feet. He smiled, "Sorry Mr. "Dimmer," But my secrets are my own. I don't know who you are, or where you're from, your reason for hanging around the scouts are just as much a mystery to me as mine is to you. Why don't we leave it at that."

"Oh NO! DARIEN, knows my name! What ever shall I do? You think that horrible looking monkey suit stops me from recognizing you? At least "I" where a scarf! Jeez! You're as bad as the scouts!"

"You know who the scouts are?"

Sundown took off his hat before, SLAMMING his hand into his forehead. "Never mind, it doesn't matter Monkey boy. I don't care who you are, just your reasons for threatening the scouts."

Tuxedo Mask was still getting over the shock of what exactly this Dimmer knew about him or might know about him. All Darien knew about Dimmer was he was a friend with Serena and her friends, and that he lived at the temple studying martial arts. 

"It's not a threat, it's a fair warning. I don't wish to fight them, but the future is unpredictable. I cannot allow her to be imprisoned!" The dreams came back to him in a sudden torrent. The Moon Princess calling for him. Pleading to him to free her, to help her. He looked away from Sundown who had narrowed his eyes.

Inside Sundown's head thoughts were rebounding back and forth. This man had someone to rescue? Did he not think the girls would help him? He had warned them, that was honorable enough in Sundown's eyes. But that is only an honorable thing for an enemy to do. Did that make him an enemy? But he had helped Serena earlier, he remembered her saying so, probably against more of Talenite's lizards, and what was that flash of light over further among the chimneys a few rooftops away? He smiled, as he realized what it must be. He wondered how he made it, but he did. Maybe it had something to do with their agreement. Finally he spoke, taking his hand off the hilt of his dagger.

"Very well Monkey boy, your secret's safe with me. I won't tell anyone your real name. And you can tell anyone you want mine if you wish, maybe they'll pay attention to you… Anyhow don't threaten the girls anymore about the future. We'll find out soon enough when it comes. Besides up here the fight between us is uneven and unfair to you."

"What do you mean?" Darien was beginning to dislike this Sundown, "Is he so arrogant that he thinks that I don't have a chance?"

Sundown pointed his hand like a gun pointed straight at Darien, than over to some flowerpot someone had put on the roof for it to get some sun. Sundown gestured as if he shot it, and a real gunshot sounded of from the direction Sundown was looking earlier. The flowerpot exploded. "You see, Monkey boy? I am not alone" Than Sundown jumped away towards where the shot had come from.

Tuxedo Mask smashed his fist into the roof. 

" "I" just recently found out who I was, how did this guy figure it out so easily?" He stood up watching Sundown jump from building to building towards the place where the shot was fired. 

"A sniper?" He thought, "Well whatever works." 

He had to hand it to the guy, he was good. He remembered watching him fight the lizards with the scouts behind him when he first showed up, he obviously had information on all his friends, that was something he himself lacked. Not to mention he seemed to have no secrets to hold him to. A guy like that was dangerous. Darien smiled, glad he's more than likely on my side. 

"I'll have to ask Serena about his real identity, they seemed on friendly terms despite her little tantrum in the shop."

"Oh yeah!" He heard being yelled from a couple of buildings away "Lose the top hat! It looks damn stupid!"

"Chad? Are you okay?"

Chad sat on the roof still wearing the light white trench coat from earlier, only now sporting some spiffy yellow lensed specs, packing away his rifle, "Sure Dim, nothing seen me all the way over here. Why?"

"Cause I'm gonna KILL YOU!"

"Hey! Hold on Dude! I said I'd stay far from the battles if I could help it remember? I didn't say anything about not joining in."

"Do you realize you could've been killed?"

"Yeah, but I also realize you could've been killed, and so could that funky dude with the cape and monkey suit. I want to help Dim, and not you or anyone else is going to stop me. Now I know whenever you transform, not even you can stop me."

"Wait hold a sec. How'd you know where I was, and what told you I transformed?"

"Remember our sealed deal? Seems your dagger keeps it even if you won't."

"Hey man you were unconscious what was I supposed to do? Still, how did you find me? And how'd you get here so quick?"

"Finding you was simple. I just went towards where the feeling I got from you transforming was the strongest, as for how I got here?" he gestured behind him with his thumb. There sat the Harley still running.

"I'm not going to lie to ya Chad, I don't like this idea of yours."

"Not much you can do about it Dimmer, it's either I got your back with your permission, or I got your back, by going behind your back. Now what's it going to be?"

"At least if you do it to my face, I'll know where you are in case you need help. I got one condition though."

"Depends on what it is."

"It's reasonable man. I want some kind of undetectable receiver, so you can talk to me and I can talk back, in case you need help."

"Those are hard to come by Dim."

"If you can find hardware like what you got now, it shouldn't be too hard. I'll see if any of my friends on the streets know anything, you keep an ear out through your connections at the bars. I don't want you followin' 'til ya got that radio, alright?"

"Okay Dimmer, that's reasonable enough"

"And stop calling me Dimmer when I'm transformed. Call me Sundown.

"Okay than, let's see... call meee.... Daybreak."

"That is waaaay too corny.... I like it."

"You know Di... uh sorry, Sundown, you look a lot more intimidating than you sound like that, you should try to fit your role better." It was as simple as saying that and the mood shifted to a cold and much more somber one that sent shivers up and down Chad's spine. 

"No Chad, I fit this role better than you can believe." Sundown's voice sank to more a growl than somebody's voice, "Just be glad you are not on my bad side."

Meanwhile

Mercury ran over to help the fallen Greg up. He smiled. "Amy?"

She was shocked to say the least. This was now two near strangers that had been able to sense who she was. Did that mean Dimmer was a crystal bearer too?

"This is not how this was supposed to happen."

"What do you mean Greg?"

"I've seen this before. How it was supposed to happen... this isn't it, Amy. Something has changed the course of history and our future."

"Greg what are you saying?"

He simply smiled. "Our fates have changed, Amy." He looked down at his damaged arm. "This is proof of that. And it is somehow connected to… You" Greg pointed toward Sailor Mars. Everyone looked up in surprise.

"Wha…? How can this be?" Sailor Moon was confused… again… " Sailor Mars?"

"Don't look at me. I don't know what he's talking about."

"No Rei... Yes I know your name too, though I am not supposed to. Not just you. Who... Who was that young man with the hat? I... I've never seen him before."

"We don't know ourselves Greg, he just showed up" Sailor Mercury had tears in her eyes. "Forget that for now, you've been through a lot already today, just rest. We can talk when your awake." 

Greg simply smiled at Amy, "You're right as usual Amy. Later, we can discuss this… later." At that he drifted off to sleep, leaving the scouts to ponder his words and try to comprehend their meaning. They agreed to get him to the temple and dress his wounds until he woke up and could tell them more. 

All the way home Rei could feel the eyes of the other scouts on her back. She couldn't blame them. She had changed fate, but how? What did she do? Did it have to do with all these questions she was thinking of lately? Stupid Dimmer. It was him getting her into those games and the conversation home that night weeks ago that got her wondering about these things. 

She smiled, "Well" she thought, "If anyone could change the shape of fate itself, I'm not surprised it probably had something to do with him. Three jobs, chores, martial arts training, learning languages, amnesia, insomnia and he does it all with that stupid smile slapped onto his face. The fact is the only time I can remember seeing him angry was when he was faking it for our sakes in the chocolate shop." 

Rei sighed.

"Now because of him, I'm changing fate." She knew it was hardly his fault, she wanted to know what he thought that day, and he was trying to comfort her. She just needed someone to blame right than, while everyone else was blaming her. Quietly she said to herself out loud, 

"Dimmer, If I find out you've changed my fate..." She thought for a second of no longer just being Serena's sidekick and changed what she was about to say, 

"I'll kiss you."

Endnotes: We having fun yet? Read & Review, tell me what you think.


	11. Night Falls in Tokyo corny title, you'll

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and this is my first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

Flashback-

All the way home Rei could feel the eyes of the other scouts on her back. She couldn't blame them. She had changed fate, but how? What did she do? Did it have to do with all these questions she was thinking of lately? Stupid Dimmer. It was him getting her into those games and the conversation home that night weeks ago that got her wondering about these things. 

She smiled, "Well" she thought, "If anyone could change the shape of fate itself, I'm not surprised it probably had something to do with him. Three jobs, chores, martial arts training, learning languages, amnesia, insomnia and he does it all with that stupid smile slapped onto his face. The fact is the only time I can remember seeing him angry was when he was faking it for our sakes in the chocolate shop." 

Rei sighed.

"Now because of him, I'm changing fate." She knew it was hardly his fault, she wanted to know what he thought that day, and he was trying to comfort her. She just needed someone to blame right than, while everyone else was blaming her. Quietly she said to herself out loud, "Dimmer, If I find out you've changed my fate..." She thought for a second of no longer just being Serena's sidekick and changed what she was about to say, "I'll kiss you."

- end flash back

"Ahh choo!" Sundown took his scarf off, "Ah shit, groooady!" He decided to revert to being his normal self, and hoped snot went away like the tears and holes in his jacket. He poked his fingers in the hole Tuxedo Mask's rose put in his coat pocket... the crystal was missing. He remembered Tuxedo Mask's words.

"I'm sorry my fellow dark dressed friend. And for more than just interrupting you and your fight."

Sundown, now reverted back to Dimmer, smiled.

"For more than just interrupting huh? Heh. At least Monkey boy ain't as stupid as he looks."

"Okay Chad, I got an appointment to keep at Tokyo Tower as Sundown. It ain't a battle, but could be a trap. For now if I gesture like I'm shooting him with my fingers you shoot, got it?"

"Mm hmm, get on the bike dude, I'm driving."

"You got any way to signal me if your in trouble?"

Chad pulled out a flare gun he had in his boot, and gestured with it

Dimmer just sighed, "Yeah that'll work. Let's go."

Chad took off down towards the world famous tower. They parked next to a building somewhat close to the tower. It was a hotel, and it was large enough for Chad to get a clear shot at the top of the tower. Chad hid the large rifle on his back under his coat, He walked in the main building with a stiff leg, making him look like he had a false leg. Both him and Dimmer faked a conversation and walked through the main entrance and towards the elevators. They had made it up the stairs in front of the elevators when they were stopped by a security guard.

"Excuse me Sirs. Can I see your hotel passes?"

Chad started to sweat while Dimmer scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Well…. Uh…ya see uuuhh…"

Dimmer was stuttering, how were they going to talk their way pass this security guard to go to the roof. He was seriously at a loss.

"Please Sir, Chad begged, its an emergency…." Chad thought for a second than shrugged than as he took the rifle out, he shouted, "I have a gun!". 

All the people, including the security guard, screamed and ran to the doors in a panic. Dimmer and Chad looked at each other and shrugged. They than proceeded into to the elevator and up to the roof. The police were soon dispatched and arrived at the hotel. Surrounding the place they were calling out to the gunmen inside to come out with their weapons lowered. Dimmer and Chad ignored them, the police had no idea where Chad and Dimmer went to anyway. There would be no action until the swat teams came, and the swat teams would have a lot to check before getting all the way up to the roof.

Dimmer took out the knife. It was his first time trying to invoke Sundown's power by himself, every other time it just happened. He wondered if he could. The dagger was starting to glow black energy. It seemed to be waiting for something. Through instinct alone Dimmer began to quote the lines he had used to describe himself during his first encounter as Sundown. 

"I am the event before death."

PAIN. The now familiar feeling flowed through underneath his skin

"I am the darkness that clouds the sight"

The black glow, given off by the dagger, traveled up his arm leaving behind the sleeve of a black trenchcoat.

"I am the silence that echoes the mind."

More black glowing lines stretched forth from the dagger, all trailing along his clothes leaving him dressed clad in black, his coat waving in the wind.

"I am the solitude that envelops the soul."

His scarf formed in the air in front of him. Than it smacked against his face wrapping itself around his head and tying itself so tight the scream from the sudden loss of air was completely muffled.

"I am the end of the day and the beginning of the night!"

He trailed one finger in the air in a circle leaving a black trail of light from it. When his finger completed the circle, it ended on the bottom. The circle started spinning on his finger.

"I am the SUNDOWN!"

The circle formed into his hat and he stopped spinning it and put it on in a single motion.

"Dude. THAT was cool. But man! It looked like it hurt like hell!"

"I do what I have to "Daybreak", But I got an appointment to keep. Keep an eye out for cops as well as me alright?" The growling voice responded.

"Will do. Now get up there, I got your back."

Sundown nodded than blended in with the background much like the lizardmen could. He crept down over to the side of the roof. The police were there. He smiled, fine than, let's give them a chase. He jumped off the building.

Pidge looked at John after speaking into the megaphone. "It don't look like their coming out John."

"Hey Pidge, do you see that?" John was looking up, his hand up to shade his eyes from the sun.

"See what?" Pidge joined his partner to look up at the sky.

"That blur, see that? It looks like its coming off the building."

"Hey yeah, what is that?"

To their surprise from the blur formed a completely black dressed man with a scarf and hat. The man landed on one of the police cars, completely crushing in its roof. The man bounded off again. All the police stood stunned. Until John shook himself out of it. "Hey! After him! Everyone now!"

Completely forgetting the gunman they all followed their orders from the newly promoted officers and took off in their respective cars after the man in black.

Sundown looked behind to see the cop cars chasing after him, he looked forwards again. "Dammit, I hope Sunbreak's aim is better than his ability to go unnoticed."

Pidge was on the radio. "Are the snipers in position? Yes? Than what are they waiting for? Fire! What? I don't believe this!"

"What's going on up there Pidge?"

"Snipers are no good John, not only is this man in black too fast to get a decent shot, but their scopes have all been shot right off their rifles."

"What? How the Hell?"

"I don't know John, but whoever this guy is, or the guy who took out our sniper's scopes, they are way out of our league."

"I almost wish we had a Sailor Scout signal, like off those Batman cartoons."

"John you're a genius!"

"Don't tell me your actually going to make one."

"No," Pidge looked toward the media that was starting to show up. "We got something better. Come on!"

Lita was running to the temple where the girls were in the middle of a scout meeting trying to figure out how to get that last crystal from Sundown, and taking care of a hurt Greg. Lita had stepped out to get some snacks from a nearby shop when passing by an electronics store, there was an emergency newscast playing on the Television they had in the display. "And so the police are asking the whereabouts of these Sailor Scouts in hopes that they may help in the capture of the man in a black coat. Here is a picture of him from our eye in the sky." 

The helicopter camera showed a brief glimpse of Sundown as he passed around a building corner.

"Finally!" Lita was panting after sprinting all the way to the temple from the store. "Girls? You better come see this!" She turned on the Television while the other girls piled out of the room coming to see what was wrong. 

"Lita?" Serena walked up to her, "what's wro…" The television interrupted her with the desperate plea of the woman broadcaster. 

"And yet, there is still no word from the Sailor Scouts. The police are trying desperately to pursue the man in black, they've tried everything in their power. Sailor Scouts, if you are listening, please we need your help to bring this assailant to justice. More as follows…"

Lita turned off the TV. "So now what?"

"Moon Prism Activation!"

The other scouts looked at each other and nodded as one. 

"Jupiter power!"

"Mars Power!"

"Mercury power!"

"Alright girls! Get ready for your first public day view!" Sailor Moon made a peace sign, before charging out the temple door and jumping to the rooftops, the other scouts right on her heals.

"Dammit, just my luck Pidge and John are leading them. Those two won't give up. I'm gonna be late for my appointment! Enough of this, three more turns and I'm gonna blend in again!" 

"I'd stop now if I were you buddy!" It was a thick, accented female voice that was a trademark of the one scout he knew the least about. Lita, The green trimmed Sailor Jupiter. "I said stop! I'm warning you!" He had to keep going, two more corners and he'd be able to lose the police, and her. No one scout would be able to hold him. He turned the corner. Too bad scouts never travel one at a time he chuckled.

"Going somewhere? You got something we need Sundown, and if you don't hand it over peacefully, we have to take it forcefully. Got it?" Sailor Mars was leaning up against the building casually.

"Sorry," Sundown jumped up from building wall to building wall until he reached the rooftops. He was avoiding the rooftops so the snipers wouldn't start binging him off. To his surprise they didn't, (or couldn't, but he didn't know that) 

"I've got an appointment to keep, I have no time for any scouts today".

He looked around the rooftops only to find the other two scouts waiting for him.

"I am Sailor Mercury!"

"And I am Sailor Moon"

"For terrorizing the citizens of this city!"

"And for pretending to be our ally!"

Together they said "We will punish you!"

"Let me get this straight. You two want to punish me, because the people of this city fear what they cannot understand, and because you guys mistake their fear for an act of offense against your city and therefore an act against you?"

Right about now the other two scouts had jumped up to the rooftops surrounding Sundown. 

"I warn you scouts. If you fight me, I will protect myself. But do not lose an ally because people fear the unknown, it might end up that they fear you too one day."

Sailor Mars spoke up, "If you're not our enemy, prove it! Explain why you're hopping from building to building in broad daylight, our citizens have a right to be scared!"

"... I cannot, that information may cause a death that is not warranted, but as for your crystal you spoke of earlier, Sailor Mars, I'd gladly give it to you. Unfortunately you'll have to ask your friend, Tuxedo Mask I believe he is called? He took it from me earlier."

"You give little to convince u... Sailor Moon what are you doing?"

Sailor Moon was tugging on Sundown's dagger hilt, trying to undo it. "I wanna seeee!"

"What my dagger?"

"Sailor Moon! We're trying to be serious here!"

"Normally, Sailor Moon, I wouldn't mind, but we have company." Sundown looked up to the sky as if hearing something the scouts couldn't.

"What is it?" Sailor Moon was trying with all her might, but she couldn't hear anything over the wind gusting over the tops of the rooftops. Than the sound of a helicopter.

"It seems the news has come to see what's going down, up here. And now I'm late for my appointment." 

"Just one more thing than, Sundown. Sailor Mars pushed Sailor Moon out of the way, and before he could react, pulled down Sundown's scarf. She was startled, and he put his scarf back on. 

"Ya know you could've just asked." He quickly put it back on.

"I'm sorry... I .. I didn't know... I never even guessed. I never even suspected."

The chopper was getting close now.

"We can talk later Sailor Mars, right now I have another appointment to keep. Do you trust me enough to let me go without a fight yet?"

"...Yes of course... hurry!"

"Thank you. I'll see you tonight, we can talk than." At that he blended in with the rooftop, the news helicopter arrived just in time to see him blur out. The blur jumped into the sky and was nearly invisible as he jumped into the deepening blue. The camera couldn't keep track of him, but instead noticed the scouts left standing on the building unscathed. Sailor Moon smiled and saluted the cameras before jumping away and disappearing into the alley below following the other scouts. 

Sundown, hanging off the landing gear of the helicopter, smiled. At last they knew, he hated to keep needless secrets. Too bad there was so much he would still have to keep secret about, unlike Chad, Rei would find the pain he went through for his transformation in no way cool. 

Besides, he couldn't just stop this now. The fighting, the mind games, battling evil, just being powerful. It all seemed so familiar, like this was how it was supposed to be, only more so. He needed more power, face enemies with more power, face them all at once, and head on. Battles, wars, power, being the sign of death, inspiring fear, focusing the dark powers of silence, solitude, and darkness to provide the universe with justice. It was all so familiar. Was this his lost past he couldn't find? Was Sundown his key? Well, he said it once before when he first reached for the curved black bladed dagger that may or may not hold the secrets to his past. There is only one way to find out.

"Now maybe I can get to ,y appointment." He thought as the chopper flew by the famous Tokyo tower. He jumped off to see a long, purple haired young man with pointy ears sitting there, obviously waiting for someone.

"Sorry I'm late."

"I would have waited all night. You caused quite a ruckus down there." 

"Lets get to the point of this Talenite. Tell me why I spared you back there."

"Straight to the point, I should have thought as much. Alright than, Mr. Sundown?"

"Just Sundown, go ahead."

"Very well, Sundown, I am not your enemy any longer."

"Like Hell! You told me you made up the plan to separate the scouts from their leader, that is the act of an enemy." Sundown started to draw the dagger from its sheath.

"No no no!" Talenite put his two hands over Sundown's one, pushing the dagger back in its sheath, " I can prove it to you! I knew that plan would fail, I didn't make any traps for you. Had you have showed up to help Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, you guys would have got there in time to help the scouts, you showed up to help the scouts, and Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask made it on time to help, because you showed up and killed the time on Zoicite."

"What if I didn't show up?"

"... I never thought of that."

Sundown grabbed the front of Talenite's shirt with his free hand, lifting Talenite right off his feet. "You dare gamble with my friend's lives!"

"Never again! Never again, I swear!" Talenite was out of his mind in fear, "I'm sorry! They are forcing me, they'll torture me than kill me if I don't help them!"

"Well I'll be merciful, and give you a quick death than!" Sundown pulled out the dagger and it formed into the sword Talenite recognized very quickly.

"Please No! I just want to live! I'm not your enemy! I didn't tell the Negaverse all I know, like who the Scouts are! I followed them home that night, I know who they are, but I didn't tell them!"

Sundown lowered his blade about an inch. "Than I owe you the chance to talk. What can you offer in exchange for your life?"

"I can be your spy."

"Not enough, you tried to kill them twice and gambled with their lives. You committed three sins, you must make three atonements. You've made one by keeping their secrets at risk to your own life, you make one more by acting as a spy, You need another."

"I... I... I can teach you!"

"What can you teach me?"

"You are powerful in the dark arts of magic, that much is obvious. I am not, but what I lack in power I make up for in knowledge. I can tell you don't know much about what you do, its all by instinct isn't it? I can teach you, train you, send you to places where you can better learn to control your power. If you'll allow me to."

Sundown stared up silently at Talenite. To learn more about these powers, that could be handy. Would he feel the power he thought he remembered? But dark powers... he didn't want to become evil to dispense justice. "These powers... I wish not to be evil as your friends. Are these powers the cause?"

Talenite paused to think. "No. The cause of their evil is arrogance, pride, and the lust for more power. These things encourage them to be powerful. Dark magic isn't like the white magic the Sailors use. That has a requirement of a pure heart. The dark arts have no requirement of a pure heart, so it is the power evil tends to use, but it has no requirement of an evil heart either. It is a tool, is a sword evil because it's owner slices the throat of children? No it is the one who wields it who is evil. 

I want to live Sundown, Queen Beryl is powerful, you and the scouts can't beat her as you are, but she is as dumb as a post, she'd never suspect a spy. You are not an idiot, though less powerful than Beryl, you're more likely to kill me. It would be in my best interest to join you. These are the atonements I have to offer, and anything else I can do that won't get me killed. Are they enough for your justice?"

Sundown slowly let Talenite stand on his feet. "Yes."

Talenite was almost delirious with joy, he may yet have found some way out of Queen Beryl's wrath. Though joining her enemies was not the most intelligent way of doing it, all this seems to be doing is delaying it. But there was complete truth into what he told Sundown. He never actually met anyone who was good, and wanted learn the dark arts as Sundown wanted to. This intrigued him. Could it be done? The power this one could wield without trying was unimaginable. If anyone could do it, it was this one. Talenite remembered his years as a teacher; it had been centuries ago it seemed, could he still do it? He had better be able to for his own sake. Learning the dark arts for good purposes... maybe... just maybe...

"Sundown, I have to go before they miss me. I'll contact you before the scouts next encounter. We can talk about lessons than, and whatever plan they have than."

"Very well, until than. If I think this is a trap in any way, the next time I see you, You will die."

Talenite gulped audibly made his portal back to the Negaverse and left. 

Sundown stared toward the setting sun from on top of the tower. The shadows lengthened in the city, and soon the night would fall. He was becoming very tired. He had been Sundown today more than he was Dimmer. He needed a rest, yet he knew Rei would want to talk to him that night about Sundown. He stared down at the sword in his hand. If the dark wasn't evil what was it? Why did it carry with so much power with it?

"It is sacred" The whisper was from a voice that sounded familiar, yet he didn't know who it was, the whispered answer and blew away with the wind gusting around the top of the tower as quickly and silently as it came. Sundown looked around quickly; trying to see who it was who spoke. He saw no one. His sword began to glow black, it shrunk into a dagger. That was strange. He looked at it carefully, it was never a dagger in the hands of Sundown before. To his surprise, as if large wind was blowing straight up from the spot where he stood his coat billowed upward. His hat flew off, and his scarf untied itself. Both reverting to the black glow and were absorbed back into the dagger that had raised up from his hand to spinning in the center of the strong wind. 

Dimmer was left kneeling on the Tokyo tower staring at the dagger in its sheath that now rested in his hands. He looked down, he realized he wasn't anywhere near as tired as he was in his transformed state. He also realized it was going to be a long climb down...

"Aw man."

That thought was the same one that came into Daybreak's mind as he saw Dimmer transform through his scope. "How's he going to explain that one to the rescue team, that's going to have to come and get him down I wonder. Meh, guess I'll find out soon, wonder when the cops are going to come back to this building, guess they forgot about me in all the commotion Dimmer caused. Funny thing is, the only help I've been to him was helping him save my own ass by shooting police sniper's scopes. Not exactly the most heroic thing to do in the world. I got to think of a way to get in these type of places without being noticed. I wonder what Dimmer and that ice cream vendor were talking about. Guess I'll find out soon enou...?" 

"What the hell?!" He suddenly he realized what his friend was attempting.

"That freak's going to actually try to climb down! Is he nuts?!"

"I've gotta be nuts!" Dimmer said to himself as he reached out for his next hand hold, "How did I get into this mess anyway?" Suddenly the wind picking up Dimmer's body and slamming it back into the tower. "OW! Hey that hurt asshole!" Dimmer swore back at the wind. Clouds were moving in from the west, dark clouds. Dimmer couldn't help but start laughing at his luck. He decided now was the perfect time to say the corniest thing he could think of. "Well, it could be worse."

Almost immediately the winds picked up and the rain pounded against his face and hands. The tower surface became wet and slippery, as it tends to do during rainstorms. Dimmer found himself loosing his grip. "Huh?" 

He looked down,

" .... this does not bode well."

He fell. And found himself bouncing of the side of the tower on his way down. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Oof! Ouch! Ah! Damn! Sonova! Motherf-! *%@#!"

He managed to grab on to one of the beams. he was well over half way down. he looked up with his face swollen, turning purple and bleeding profusely. "Heh." he sniffed up some of the blood back into his nose, "That wasn't so bad" he said still a little dizzy. Lightning struck the tower. 

Had Daybreak been looking through his scope, and been able to see through the raging storm, he would have been able see Dimmer light up like a firefly, than fall the rest of the way off the tower.

A crowd gathered to see the twitching and sizzling mass that was Dimmer. It was someone from the crowd that called the ambulance. 

Rei was staring at the sacred flame in a darkened temple. She was keeping her mind open to any sense of Dimmer's aura. She thought she sensed a trace of darker aura before around the famous Tokyo tower, but it had vanished. In place of it was that of an average person. She smiled; it had to be him. She couldn't believe Dimmer's aura was just so... normal. There had to be something different about it, she'd have to check up close some time. But there was no mistake about it, Dimmer was Sundown. Sundown was Dimmer. But Sundown was nothing like Dimmer! or was he? She had only even seen him three times, and no time did he say very much.

The other girls were at the hospital fussing around Greg. They had bandaged up Greg's arm nicely. Surprisingly Serena was alot of help when it came to first aid. He wasn't able to really say too much to them coherently. He was constantly in and out of consciousness. She was able to wipe away the dark power resonating from the wound but it was going at a snail's pace. It was Sundown's sword that did this. Was he really so evil to cause this festering wound that would normally not be able to heal except from by the hands of a priest? Dimmer? Their Dimmer? He said he'd be back that night, that he has some kind of appointment. What kind of appointment? With what? or with whom?

These are the questions that filled Rei's mind as she tried to follow the aura she had found. Suddenly it was moving. Very fast, she couldn't tell what direction and their seemed to be alot of turbulence. Than the movement stopped for a few seconds.

Her eyes opened suddenly. Something happened. His aura had faded; it seemed an incredulous amount! Something had gone wrong. Horribly wrong. He was hurt. She ran to get her jacket. 

She stopped and looked back at the fire behind her. She said it softly so it wouldn't seem to disturb the quiet serenity there, "Oh Dimmer, please be alright."

Serena was walking back to the hallway where Lita and Amy were waiting from the closest vending machine with an armload of junk food. Explaining things to the parents was difficult but Amy managed to come up with some story. They said Greg was holding one of the old swords in Rei's temple when he tripped and fell. His parents were too worried to care much about scolding him. It was a good thing Rei wasn't there though. Serena was certain that Greg's parent had a few choice things to say about how they ran the temple.

"Aaaaaaaawww! Why did things have to go and get so complicated! At first it was simple, stun the monster, throw my tiara at it, monster's toast! End of story. Now we have to worry about hurting them, and heal them, because those stupid Negatwirps went and brought totally innocent people into it! It's just not fair!" She stomped her foot, she had also become aware about how many people were staring at the yelling blonde walking down the hospital hallway.

She sweatdropped and slowly side stepped into the next hallway turning off out of sight of the people, while laughing nervously. She sighed heavily, and than had to quickly lean herself flat against the wall as a doctor and a nurse ran past her pushing an emergency hospital bed with a victim on it. After they went by she leaned over curious. She only got a quick look at the guy and he looked pretty bad off. She shrugged as she turned back around the corner from before, when the face came to her of who that young man was. "Dimmer!"

The bars and bags of chips bounced off the floor of the hospital, as Serena bolted after the hospital bed, forgetting them completely.

"Poor Greg" Lita thought to herself, "All he wanted to do is help us, and we didn't even get the stupid crystal for all his effort. Sundown went and stabbed Greg, though it's not really his fault, all he knew was that a monster was attacking us. He did save me and Rei after all." She looked over at her friend who had fallen asleep at Greg's side. "Oh Amy, just when you two were about to get together too." Lita than turned to stare out the window. "I wonder what's taking Serena so long. It doesn't usually take HER long to find snacks no matter where she was. Considering we missed the food I was bringing earlier, I'm starving!"

Lita walked out into the hall to see if she could find Serena. She imagined that if Greg woke up Amy and him would probably want some time alone anyway. She walked aimlessly down the corridors looking for anything interesting when something caught her eye. A hospital bed going at high speeds being pushed by some gathering amount of nurses and doctors. It flew by in one of the intersecting hallways. She expected those type of sights in a hospital, and though she wondered what happened, what actually caught her eye was the pigtailed blonde sprinting after it at full speed.

"Serena! What's going on?"

"Lita!" Serena skidded to a stop, and ran toward her friend balling into Lita's shoulder. "It's Dimmer he's been hurt!"

"Wha? Dimmer? How? What happened?"

"I don't know! I just seen him there in that bed I was chasing, and he was bleeding, and they had that mask on him, and he wasn't awake, and… and… and…"

It was obvious Lita wasn't going to get very much from her distraught friend, she simply wrapped Serena in a comforting hug, and walked her down the hall that the hospital bed had went down.

Lightning flashed outside the hospital's glass doors, making a silhouette out of a young woman with an umbrella. The automatic doors opened, and the raven black- haired girl walked in. 

Rei shook her umbrella off, leaving it in the stand by the door. She looked down at her wet clothes. She was soaked straight through, she wondered why she even bothered with the stupid umbrella. She couldn't believe this, she had false impressions from the flame before, but for some reason she ran out into that raging storm anyway. Why her feet led her here she still wasn't sure. "Oh well, if I read the fire wrong, than nothing happened, and that's a good thing right? And I can just go see how Greg and the others are doing." That's what she told her self as she shivered, though not completely from the cold. She knew she had read the fire right, but she didn't want to break out into a panic. For some reason she also knew that this is where Dimmer had ended up.

She wanted to be calm like she usually was during these things, she was often the rock that the others would hold on to. Greg's injuries had put enough of a strain on everyone, if what happened to Dimmer is what she thought happened to him, she wasn't sure they'd be able to take it that well. So she had to be strong, despite wanting to run to the counter, and ask if anyone that fit Dimmer's description had been called in as an emergency case. Instead, she walked up politely and asked the receptionist there if there was a young man with long, scraggily black hair, about average height, and Canadian looks had come in.

Her face remained straight as the receptionist bit her lip, and told her what room he was rushed to, and asked if Rei could identify him. She didn't break down and cry when she told her that she could, nor did she when she explained of Dimmer's present situation when it came to insurance. No one could tell by her face that there was a burning sensation in her nose, and in her eyes when she asked the receptionist to call the officers named, Pidge and John, for more information. No shade of red touched her cheeks, when the receptionist told her what had happened, and what it had done to him. Not a tear did she shed as she walked quiet, and alone towards the emergency room where the receptionist had told her he was located.

Pidge was working late at the office writing up the report on the fiasco down town. The Sailor scouts did show up, but they didn't seem to catch the black clothed stranger either. What does that mean? There's someone even stronger than the Sailor Scouts out there? The phone started ringing in his partner's office,

"Hmmm… wonder who that could be…"

"John's office, Pidge speaking."

In five minutes a lit up squad car was bolting in and out of traffic, it stopped by an old apartment building, from where another man jumped into the vehicle, and than the squad car took off toward Tokyo Hospital.

Endnotes: Woot! Long one. First try at writing anything sad, did I succeed? R&R and tell me!

I wasn't sure what words Serena shouted for her transformation sequence. Correct me and I'll correct the line.

Oookay my fic screwed up in weird ways and this chapter was put as the first one. Hopefully now the problem is rectified or else this endnote will sound pretty silly.

Also all of you anonymous readers that wanted to review can do so now. Apparently there's a setting that doesn't allow anyone but signed reviewers to review. What a stupid setting! I love all reviews whether flames or encouragement. 

lol That might get me probably like 1 more review 

Again any reviews that people leave ways for me to contact them by will receive 3 extra unedited chapters in their email. The ones posted here will be the final drafts. For the patient people I have hooked, I'm up to chapter 19 and update once or twice a week. 

That's all for now see ya next time! 

Bai Bai!


	12. A Time to Rest

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and this is my first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

"Rei!" Serena ran toward the drenched girl.

"Rei! It's Dimmer. I … I seen them take him in there." She gestured towards the hospital emergency door. "Rei did they call you ? Did they tell you what happened to him? He… he… he looked so different…so quiet."

"Yes, Serena." Rei hugged her friend and tried to comfort her. "He has been hurt. Its serious." She hugged Serena a little closer as Serena sobbed into her shoulder. Just standing there, letting Serena pour herself out. Serena seen two people hurt today, where normally the first would have her near crushed. She could only wonder how Dimmer's injury would effect her. She smiled a little, by holding Serena, she gained a little comfort herself. Serena just seemed to radiate it sometimes. Kind of the opposite of Dimmer really. She helped others by helping herself. The way she did things, she never hid any part of herself. She'd show you what you should do by doing it her self openly. Dimmer, as said did things differently, he made himself happy by working to make others happy.

Lita looked up toward the two hugging friends from her seat by the emergency door. She was worried. Rei hadn't told them what happened so whatever it was she didn't think Serena could handle it. Lita looked back towards the emergency door and worried. She didn't know Dimmer as well as her friends, but he treated her as close as he did everyone else. Lita sighed and looked back to her friends. It was bad enough with Greg and now this. Serena was balling, and Rei looked … emotionless… Lita sighed again. Rei was going to have to learn how to express herself in front others, she wouldn't even let herself go in front of her best friends.

Amy walked into the main entranceway. She woke up to a room alone with Greg, and she was more than a little disturbed by what he had told her.

"Amy… Amy wake up… please Amy."

Amy awoke to the whispers of a pleading Greg. He couldn't get up or move his arm very much. The black energy in his wounds seemed to have paralyzed much, much more than just his arm. 

"Oh no Greg. Are you alright? Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine Amy, I have seen it. More clear than ever before…" Greg whispered hoarsely. This prediction he knew could not be wrong. "Amy some one important to you has been hurt. Badly."

Amy looked around already knowing her friends weren't around her. "What? Who do you mean Greg?"

"I am not certain…"

Amy could see he was struggling to stay awake.

"Shh… it's okay Greg. Sleep you need your rest"

"Amy… your friends… find…" Greg was asleep before the last words could come out. (that was soooo cliché)*

This lead to Amy wandering the halls of the hospital alone looking for her friends, they weren't at the vending machine. Greg's words had her nervous. Who had been hurt? Where were they? Certainly they'd wake her up if they were leaving. Did Talenite capture them? What happened? All these questions and more ran through Amy's mind... She invented new scenarios in her mind each one worse than the last. Proof genius holds a curse to it.

As she walked in she saw the receptionist talking to two familiar and very distraught police officers.

"His only known name is Dimmer Miss. He's under police protection give him all the help you can. Is this information correct? 3rd degree burns all over his body, almost half of his bone mass broken?"

"Yes sir, they believe he fell off the tower, was struck by lightning, than fell the rest of the way down."

" Did you give this report to anyone else?"

"Only a priestess that came in a while ago, they must have called her in, it would take a miracle to save him now." 

John looked at Pidge, Pidge just shook his head. They both thought the same thing, his friend, the priest's daughter. He was about to turn and yell at the receptionist when he seen Amy with a very… very pale look on her face. He quickly pushed past his partner and caught her before she fainted. 

Pidge shook his head once again. "You do something with her, John, I'll go see where the priests daughter got to."

"You do that, some help Mam?"

"Oh yes sir" the receptionist answered quickly.

Pidge left and walked toward the room where Dimmer was undergoing surgery. To his surprise he found three girls where he was expecting one.

"Word gets around quickly here. Hello girls. I trust you know what's going on here?"

"Not really." Rei spoke for the other two. "They don't seem to know very much of anything and I only know what the receptionist told me." Rei looked straight into his knowing eyes daring him to tell what Dimmer's true situation was to the teary eyed girl she was holding.

Pidge took the hint well. "Alright than, I assume you had them call me and my partner than Miss? That was good thinking. He's the key witness in the Sailor Scout's case, and our only link to what's going on in my city. It's obvious we can't afford to lose him because of insurance reasons. Truth be told, the boys down the station have gotten rather fond of him hanging around when he has the time. That's not the only case he's helped out on you know. Here I'll tell you a few of them, well after we get some chairs around here." He turned to walk back out into the reception area to ask where he could find a few seats that weren't nailed down.

Lita got up, this would probably be her only chance at getting the whole story for awhile. "I'll help. Besides someone's got to tell Amy."

Pidge gave the teenage brunette the once over before nodding his head. "Sure kid."

They walked in silence to the receptionist, who called for some chairs to be brought down. He looked out at the storm, and remembered the soaking wet teenager comforting her friend. She must have walked all the way from her temple. That must have been quite a trek in this stuff. There wasn't even a tear streak on her face. That one is as hard as stone he thought to himself. He than remembered driving through the same storm at high speeds with his partner at the wheel. The other three girls were completely dry, yet it hit them, obviously, just as hard. Even the one standing beside him in silent thought. She just didn't know it yet. 5…4…3…2…question time.

"Please tell me what Dimmer's real situation is in there sir. I don't know him as well as the other people here do, but I still count him as my friend."

Right on cue he thought. "Okay I'll tell you on one condition."

"And that is?"

"You tell me your name."

"Oh yeah, Sorry." She forgot these police officers were some of Dimmers best friends. Of course they'd at least want to introduce themselves to someone else who cared about Dimmer's well being. She broke out of her space out, "Oh! Yes of course. My name's Lita."

"Delighted. I'm Pidge, my partner, who'll be here shortly is John. We were the officers that got stuck with trying to figure out Dimmer's point of origin, and as of late the Sailor Scout's case. I think I seen you with Dimmer and friends in the park by Dimmer's bench yesterday?

"Yes," Lita remembered all too clearly the heart attack she near had when Dimmer said he knew who the scouts were. "That was me, but about Dimmer's injuries?"

"Ha! Straight to the point huh? Alright but first you might want to take a seat in one of the chairs over here." He didn't want what happened to Amy to happen to another of Dimmer's friends. 

Lita took a seat in the main waiting room, and looked up at Pidge expectantly.

Pidge just sighed, "Dimmer has seem to got himself pretty badly off. He's suffering from third degree burns, and over half of his bone mass in broken, his right arm, and legs are completely shattered. Most of the rest of his bones got away with minor fractures."

Lita continued to stare up at him. He moved to the right to find she was still staring at the spot to the left of him. He sighed. This was not going to be a fun night.

John walked into the room looked at Lita than to his partner. Pidge shrugged. John turned around to go get another nurse.

Pidge looked back down at the brunette. This is going to be a reeeeally long night. It's like telling family about a loved one, all his friends cared about him so much. In a way, Dimmer was a very lucky young man. 

"May he live to realize it."

He walked down the hall to see Serena and smiling, with obvious tears of joy. Rei was talking with one of the doctors, while the rest of the nurses and doctors were walking up the hallway talking. Most using words like miracle, and amazing.

"He survived?" Pidge was dumbfounded.

Serena looked up to John and waved her hand in front of his face, he didn't show any sign of noticing. She shrugged, and went back to thanking one doctor to the next shaking a hand for less than two seconds before spouting 2 hours worth of thank you's in each two seconds she had to shake their hands. 

"Serena, they're allowing us in to see him."

Serena blew by Rei as fast as she was shaking hands a second ago. She stopped upon entry to his room and immediately covered her hands with her mouth. Rei walked in uncertain of what Dimmer would look like. She quickly put her hands over her mouth as Serena had. She was expecting him to look so quiet, in silent pain just as Greg looked earlier, but he didn't. He looked so… so… she smiled trying to hold back her laughter, … soooo Dimmer. . Serena just broke, she couldn't hold the laughter in any longer.

Dimmer's right arm was up in the air being hung by a sling from the ceiling, his legs were in the same predicament. He was wrapped up completely in gauss except for his eyes and a few messed up tufts of hair sticking out.

If Dimmer ever was put in the hospital, this is exactly what Rei felt she should have expected to see. Serena finally stopped laughing... mostly… and walked over to him. The sleeping Dimmer was a real sight for sore eyes to her. Serena wasn't stupid when it came to first aid and injuries. It was one of her high marks. She knew from the way the doctors and Rei were talking, Dimmer shouldn't be breathing in front of her like he was now. She watched the long drifts of black hair, as his bangs fell over his eyes.

"Thank you Dimmer." She said in a rare moment of quiet for her. 

Rei looked out the door to see Lita run by a still statue-like John. Lita looked to Rei than to Dimmer. Rei just nodded.

Lita walked over beside Serena. "Hey Dimmer? How you doing? I feel foolish telling you this when you're asleep, but thanks for staying around."

Rei was smart enough to move the hell outta the way when she seen Amy bolting down the hall. Too bad for Serena and Lita who didn't get out of the way on time. They were both twitching in pain on the floor, with footsteps on their faces from being trampled.

"Dimmer, oh jeez Dimmer! What have you gotten yourself into this time, you idiot." Amy said it all with a smile and a hug. She was the first to find him, she taught him her language, sent him off to school, and fed him when he needed food. She cared and worried about him more than anyone else. 

"You're constantly getting into trouble. They say you still maybe paralyzed, you nutball. (she also hung around him too much) I don't know what happened to you, but you're going to get better you got that?" Amy was in tears with a mixture of joy and scolding.

"Really now. What were you doing up there in the first place? One of these days something's gonna happen to you Dimmer, and you won't come back from it. This could still be that time, Dimmer… You just don't give up alright? I'll always be here for you alright?" The girls (after picking themselves up) were really touched by Amy's open display of affection. It was obvious she cared very deeply about him. 

Amy got up to look at the other girls. She quickly straightened herself up and blushed. "Uh sorry."

Lita was first to answer "Don't worry about Amy, we all know how you feel."

"Sure thing Amy, Dimmer's a friend to all."

Rei thought about it. It was true, the only one he seemed to even have a problem with was Darien. And that really doesn't count he only met the guy once.

It was than that the receptionist came in from the front counter. "I'm sorry, but Dimmer is going to need his rest, I'm afraid I'll have to ask all but Miss Hino here to leave."

"Huh? Why Rei?" Serena (as usual) was confused.

"They're living under the same roof is my understanding. That sounds like the closest thing to family this young man has, so please everyone else?" She gestured to the doorway.

"But…" Rei was a little reluctant. Especially after the show Amy just put on. 

Serena looked to Dimmer than to Rei than back to Dimmer again. She got a crooked smile on her face. 

"The woman got a point Rei! Besiiides, you never got to say anything to him yet have you?"

"Hey don't look at me! He hardly knows me." Lita was saying. 

Amy pretty much stopped any hope of Rei going back home. "Could you please stay with him Rei? I'm looking after Greg upstairs already, and someone should be by Dimmer's side. I imagine you two have gotten along okay haven't you?"

Rei sweatdropped. How was she to know? He treated her like he treated anyone else. How do you know if you're close to him or not? Well Amy would know, wouldn't she? After all he pretty much tells her everything. 

"Sure I'll stay. Don't want Serena getting any more behind at her schoolwork anyway."

"Hey!"

"Thank you Rei."

"See ya tomorrow." The girls were let outside.

The receptionist turned to watch them go, than turned back to Rei.

"The chair and extra blanket are beside the bed, if you need anything just give me a call alright?"

"I will, thank you"

She smiled and left, shutting the door behind her.

"Well Dimmer. Its just you and me now." Rei sat in the chair up beside his head, and moved the bangs Serena noticed earlier out of his eyes. "Jeez Dimmer. You fell from the sky and never got a scratch. You'd think falling off the tower wouldn't be that big a deal. Are you just trying to make everyone worried about you? Even I worry about you sometimes you know."

She stopped to sense his aura. "You're going to be fine. Of course you are a super hero aren't you? Guess I shouldn't expect anything else. So how does it feel to know that I'm nothing but Serena's sidekick? You know who I am, who we are. Do you still see me the same way Dimmer? Or am I now just that sidekick to you?"

His bangs fell back down into his eyes for response. She sighed and pushed them back up. Without meaning to, her fingers ran alongside his cheek. She blushed and pushed the offending piece of hair behind his ear where he usually kept it.

She looked around to make sure no one was watching as she got up to shut off the light. She smiled at the sleeping Dimmer. "Well at least now I know how to get you to get your proper sleep." She sat down and fell a sleep after wrapping the blanket around herself.

Alone in the room with Rei, Dimmer slept peacefully and silently, the casts and bandages wouldn't allow him to move a muscle whether awake or not. Even his mouth and face were covered by the bandages. There, to stop the burns from being exposed to the air. And the I.V. sticking out of his left arm. The only thing it seemed unwrapped were the long tufts of bangs, and eyes. He would be able to see when he awoke but not much else. He slept peacefully as the moon lit the night and the small hospital room. And in the silence that was the night Dimmer dreamed. He dreamed of things forgotten for months. He dreamed of things to come, and of his past. Nothing was hidden in his dreams he remembered who he was, he knew his family, and what happened. He knew of the things that he longed to remember about his friends of the past and he knew of the things that he longed to forget. 

Despite all that went on in the mind of the young man, it was expressed by the street light out in front of the hospital that flashed a couple of times and turned off, darkening the street around it. Not even awake, Dimmer winced. All the frustration that was his and all the solitude he had known for years before finding himself in a crater came rushing back to him. The only outward symbol of the tragedy he found his life to be was made by the silent action of one lone strand of hair falling into his eyes, as if blinding him from all that was good. Outside yet two more streetlights winked out. Dimmer had finally remembered. The true Dimmer had finally awoke, but for now the world gave him a few moments rest for the hard times he knew would come. And the search for a home he hated would have to begin.

THE NEXT DAY

The sun crept into the window to the hospital, it's light spread across the small room creeping over the mummy look alike. Yet he lie still, breath even, and fast asleep. Though the sun try, it could not reach his eyes past the loose strands of hair that kept them hidden from the light. It smiled though for their was another in the room that had use of its light. It's light crept past the sleeping man to the woman beside him. 

Huddled in the chair, Rei felt the warmth of the sun washing over her. The sign of the sun coming up, and the bright sunny day ahead of them. She stretched her arms up, arcing her back forwards feeling her joints snap back into place. She looked to the person she was tending to, to find that his hair was once again had fallen into his eyes. She smiled. Dimmer lived such a busy life, that it seemed even in sleep he could find no peace. She brushed the hair out and behind his ear again. She wondered if there was anything she could do about that for him. The sun finally crept into the eyes of the one called Dimmer. He awoke. 

Rei was ecstatic. Dimmer was awake after one nights sleep, the doctor said it might take weeks. Her excitement quickly flickered out as he looked over towards the I.V. in his arm and fell back into a state of unconsciousness. 

Rei still thought it a good sign. "Well, Dimmer, with you, I won't surprised if you're up by the end of the day doing training exorcises with Chad. CHAD?! OH my God! Grandpa! Chad! I didn't tell them anything! I have to call them now. You don't mind do you Dimmer?"

Dimmer's steady breathing was his only response.

"I didn't think so." Rei ran out to the payphones to call her grandfather. 

"Hello?"

"Hello Chad." 

"Yes Chad, it's me." 

"Yes I know, I'm sorry I made you and Grandpa worry." 

"Yes, he's here with me now." 

"No, I'm afraid he can't speak, there's been an accident." 

"Yes I'm alright, but Dimmer's been hurt."

"I'm at the hospital."

"You'll be here soon? Okay. Just ask the receptionist. I'm going back to the room to look after him."

"You want to know how bad he's hurt? Well ummm… it's hard to explain. You'll see when you get here."

"Alright, I'll see you soon."

"Chad!"

"You BETTER be only kidding!"

Rei slammed the phone down quickly. "Stupid Chad. Exactly what did he mean by "nursing him" any way?!" She stood there and fumed at the phone. "I swear sometimes he can be such a hentai that I could just… just…! Ooh!" 

As if that said it all for her, she walked back into Dimmer's room to find the nurse cleaning things up a bit. She was folding the blanket Rei had slept in and laying it on the chair.

She pulled out the I.V. to put a new one in. After she pulled it out Rei noticed, Dimmer's eyes opened. 

Dimmer looked up, he could see Rei standing in the doorway. He couldn't move anything but his eyes. It was a hard full body cast they had him in, but at least he didn't feel any pain. He would've at least tried to say something if it his jawbone wasn't wired together and gauss wasn't put over his mouth. Instead he let out a polite "Mmph". 

The nurse was startled as she looked down to her patient who made the noise.

"Well, well, well Mr. Dimmer. I see you're awake."

He smiled as well as he could and looked up at the nurse. His eyes turned to the needle in her hand and his hair fell over his eyes. The nurse pushed the hair behind his ear to find he was asleep. She shrugged, "Oh well you must be tired."

His only response was hair falling back into his eyes.

"Oh dear, that hair is going to be irritating you. We'll have to cut it after. I'll bring the scissors next time I come up. Oh there you are." She just noticed Rei in the doorway. "I was wondering where you wandered off to." She stuck in the new I.V. wire. "Dimmer's situation has improved dramatically. He is a real miracle to the medical world I hear. They're now studying his recovery progress. You're very lucky you know? He shouldn't have made it last night, and now he already shows signs of waking up. The day after!"

"Yes I know. Umm… I don't think he'd appreciate the haircut though."

"Really? Oh dear, we'll just have to think of something won't we? Well I'll be back in a little while did you want some breakfast? I was going out anyway."

"Yes please. Nurse…" Rei just realized she didn't know the nurse's name. 

"Oh dear, I'm sorry. I didn't even introduce myself did I? My name is Kala. I'll be Dimmer's nurse"

"Mine is Rei, it's nice to meet you. Dimmer and I are friends. He stays at my grandfather's temple. Grandfather and another resident of the temple named Chad will be coming over soon. Do you mind if I ask when visiting hours are?"

"Usually, around 2:00 to 6:00pm. But in Dimmer's case I can make an exception. Listen. There is a rumor spreading around." Kala crept up to say it into Rei's ear. "They say this is the same person who fell from the sky awhile ago."

Rei sweatdropped. She scratched the back of her head and said nervously "Really? Who says? I haven't noticed anything strange about him"

The nurse arched her eyebrow up suspiciously.

"I mean other than his fast recovery rate. Nope, nothing can keep him down, heh heh heh." She was sweating buckets; she was never very good at lying to people.

Kala seemed to accept this. "Don't worry, I knew it had to be just a stupid rumor anyway."

"Really why is that?"

"Rumors about the guy that came from the crater say he was near six feet high and didn't have a scratch despite his fall from beyond the clouds. He is supposed to be a monster of a man. No offense to your friend but…" she gestured to the whole body cast and hospital bed and …maaaybe fifteen year old. 

Rei smiled, Kala gave her a way out of it, and trying not to laugh at the image Dimmer six feet tall and making girls swoon by walking by, Rei continued. "Yeah, I see your point. Besides wasn't that guy supposed to also have the blackest of hair? When you can see most of it, Dimmer is slightly more towards dark brown, and he's waaaay too lanky." Rei sighed. She was pretty sure his hair was black, but it might get the nurse to leave it at that.

"Ha! I knew it all along. Tokyo tower would be a small leap for a guy like that, but still it was a miracle a normal boy like your friend managed to survive the fall. Oh dear, I must be going. I have to finish my rounds. See you later Rei!"

"By~ye!" Rei's smile turned to a smirk as Kala walked off down the hallway. That ought to throw her off. A rumormonger, her and Serena would get along great. But she had a good point. If Dimmer could easily survive the fall from the sky than… She closed Dimmer's door and walked over to him. She narrowed her eyes…

Endnotes: *sniff* he survived! Woot! Well of course he survived! What a stupid way it would have been for him to go out ^^

I hope you enjoyed it. I can't really tell cause I haven't gotten any reviews since like chapter 6 or 7… ah well, what can I do?

I've got up to chapter twenty finished, so if you want, you get early if you drop me a line.

Sorry this update is late. Fanfiction.net was down when I went to upload it. It will be updated next week twice but I don't know how soon after that, because I'm in the middle of a move. It just depends on how long it takes for me to get my computer unpacked, and to get the internet up and running.

Please let me know if your reading by reviewing! Pleeze? 


	13. A Time to Wake

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and this is my first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

Dimmer floated through the memories that were his life. Arkand huh? That's my real name? isn't so bad. But he felt like he didn't like it for some reason. He continued to soul search looking for happy times and smiles. He couldn't believe some of the things he was remembering.

It was pure hypocrisy to him to smile from pain, but "Arkand" did it all the time. He thrived at it. It was all that held his life together. Arkand was a good kid. He had some troubles as every kid does. Dimmer loved his childhood, but missed his childhood friends. His father was a Mountie, his mother a nurse. It was his older sister that looked after them when they were at work. His brother was a chronic thief whom he idolized. Money was a problem and they had to move to a different neighborhood. He was never very popular in school. Would often just go unnoticed until, some one felt the need to hurt him. Arkand could not fight back. He'd throw up at the sight of his own blood. He couldn't hurt them. He didn't want to. So he ran. He ran away before they could catch him. 

But fear makes the dogs more vicious. Now when they caught him they'd beat him worse, but he was faster. And he'd runaway in his mind, when caught. Someone else felt the pain, it was someone else who was hated, and it was someone else who was always beaten for his actions.

He still had a few friends. Not many. Those who were outcast as he was. He would make them laugh. It was something Dimmer was pleased to have found out. He always had this ability. Whether by simply saying something funny, or by making them laugh by making a fool of himself. He always felt if he made them laugh he was happy. Laughter is contagious. To make others happy, was to make himself happy. He found a way to live. Dimmer was pleased to remember the hard ships and the overcoming of them.

Than one of the few friends he had betrayed him.

"Arkand!"

"Hi Malene!"

"Happy 15th birthday!"

"Thank you"

Arkand was swinging on the steel chained swing. He loved the deserted beach. Years ago it was said to be polluted and no one came back, it wasn't really, just the yacht club close by wanted the area to harbor the boats. He would stay there listening to his walkman from afternoon to in the early morning dusk. More than a few occasions had he watched the sunrise here before he went to school. He came here by bike, and loved that too. Swinging and singing to himself, songs deemed as old. This was his place. Everyone knew it. He didn't go there to hide. Just to free himself and his mind. He created his own worlds there by the ocean. All in his head. He welcomed visitors, and endured those who couldn't understand. Few tried anyway.

The blonde thirteen-year-old lived close to the beach. For some reason he couldn't think of she developed a crush on him. She put as many hints forward as she could, and he noticed them all. Maybe it wasn't nice, but he had few friends, he felt if he told her "no" she would hate him. He didn't want that, so he ignored her hints, and was just friends. He didn't want to say yes either. Arkand didn't feel it would be right to let her take on the teasing that he had to endure. In short he felt he didn't deserve her, or anyone else who might take any part of the beatings that he suffered through day by day.

It turned out that his 15th birthday would be the changing point in his life. He could no longer hide his answer from Malene. Because she finally put it bluntly.

"Arkand, I wanna ask you somethin'."

Arkand felt his heart pound faster. He knew it was coming. As it was he looked at her like a little sister. To him it seemed like an eternity between 15 and the soon to be 12 year old. Three years difference. Much too much. It was that simple to him. He simply looked at her like he would a 9 year old, like she knew nothing about what she asked about.

"Will you go out with me?"

"I'm sorry Malene, you're too young."

"Oh, okay"

It surprised him, but he was glad. That year she remained his friend. Than on his 16th birthday the same scene happened.

"I'm sorry Malene, you're too young."

This time Malene ran away crying. He felt horrible about it, but also thought it was for the best. She wouldn't be hurt anymore this way, just one shot to the stomach was how he thought of it. Instead of a full out gang which he usually had after him by this point. 

He didn't see Malene very often throughout the next year, but was still amongst her friends. He was happy with that, even though he used to be her best friend. He was saddened to think that she was drifting away from him because of a stupid crush.

Than one day the gang came after him for a different reason. 

"FAGGOT!"

"We don' wan' no gay shits in our neighborhood!"

The gangs never usually needed a reason to beat him. Truthfully it was mostly routine now, 'cept for the fact Arkand was much faster now than he used to be. Usually they couldn't catch him at all any more. "That's strange" he thought as he stuck out his tongue at them while bolting over the train bridge. "Usually its just nerd, geek, or bitch….meh.". He shrugged it off and kept running.

That would be the first of many times he found out. Some one spread word around that he was gay… But the good news was his other friend and cousin since he just moved into this neighborhood so many years ago, known as Raggs (short for Russell) had gotten together with Malene, instead of getting closer though, it seemed both friends grew apart from him.

That was fine with him. Whatever made them happy made him happy. That was how it always was, that's how he thought it would always be.

Soon after though, Raggs and Malene broke up. Now he hardly ever seen Malene, but Raggs hung out with him more. Arkand asked why it was that Raggs and Malene never worked out.

Raggs simply said she was a real bitch. Arkand just laughed along with Raggs. But in his mind he asked himself, "Has little Malene changed so much?"

He found out from Raggs that it was in fact Malene that spread around the rumor that he was gay. He didn't care too much, he didn't care much about what anybody but his friends and family thought about him.

But Malene was a friend. So it hurt that she would do such a thing. He found nothing wrong with homosexuality truthfully he knew a few. But just being tolerant of them in the gangs of Cape Breton was enough reason to be beaten within an inch of your life. It was pretty easy to tell why they all stayed in the closet. In fact Arkand had become the only "known" homosexual that lived around there.

Of course he was straight, but in the end that matters little.

It was a tough year. Raggs was gone to the military. He had no friends. He also found out Raggs helped with those rumors when Malene went out with him. It was no wonder that not a soul besides family and a few new friends believed him. His best friend was the one who helped betray him. But Raggs was a friend when he left, to Arkand that was good enough reason for Raggs to still be a friend when he got back. He still thought of Malene to be a friend. What she told others mattered little to him, it was what she thought that mattered.

He was 17 that day. He swung on his swing until nightfall. To his surprise. Malene came strolling down to meet him.

"Will you go out with me?"

He was awestruck. As far as he knew she was in the middle of dating someone else, not to mention every single scout of the scout troop he was in. 

"I can make things even worse you know?"

"No. Malene I don't understand why your doin' all dis."

"Fine!" She walked back the way she came. 

It was a month after his graduation that the police knocked on his door telling him that he was put up on charges of rape.

He laughed the whole way there. They had nothing, even some of the gang kids laughed at the officers who asked around.

"So he shot her down again?"

He heard them say. As far as rape charges went. They closed the book the day they asked him to come in. No one paid any attention to Malene or her rumors. (May have been the fact that if he raped her and was gay. What did that make her?)

Of course this still had quite an effect on Arkand. His ability to make people happy was gone. He couldn't comfort them the way he used to be able to. And yet his happiness still depended on the happiness of others. He grew dark, his nights at the beach were more of a punishment that he put himself through. If there was one thing that hurt Arkand it was his honor. It was something he couldn't run away from. He made a vow against drinking at the age of 7. He never drank and would never drink. It was his honor. He wouldn't. It was that simple.

There were some out there that still thought him gay, he didn't care, but there was even more who believed Malene's story of rape. That hurt. 

There was a rape that happened on that night so long go. But it wasn't Malene's. Arkand's dignity, honor, and pride were raped from him by the mere suggestion. Depression had settled on his shoulders. He worked as a store clerk and learned how to hide it well though. It was his mask. No one knew the sadness in his heart, because he never stopped smiling. The store mask was a beautiful thing to him. It was a way he could continue to run away. Unfortunately even among his now few but very good, trustworthy friends he found himself using it. When he wasn't paying attention to them and they left and waved good-bye, as reflex action he'd say "see ya now" before they left. It was what he said to every customer that came in the store on their way out the door.

To his ultimate shame, he set another on his path to depression. Mike. Mike grew out his hair after discussing some of Arkand's view on things. Mike's family was in bad shape, in truth he was going through his own depression for much different reasons than Arkand, but that made little difference to Arkand. He felt responsible. Now instead of being able to comfort them into smiles, he had made them depressed. Which made him even more depressed. Yet he still had a few ways out of the depression. They were anime- getting lost in someone else's world where there wasn't so much pain- or just coinciding with their views. And Games, just another escape into someone else's world. But he developed many philosophies on life, and what it meant to him through them. His world was a happier place because of them. He could never get tired of something that made him happy. It was during this period Arkand didn't want to run away anymore. He wanted to accept the other person who lived inside of him. The one who took the beatings day after day, and still got up. The one that was depressed, yet happy with his life. Arkand ran away from his problems, but Dimmer always took them head on. Dimmer was who he was now. 

He understood why his mind remembered Dimmer and not Arkand. Dimmer understood pain and wasn't afraid to express it, or hide it when he had to. Crying never happened after Arkand's rape. Dimmer grew sad at points but the only tears he shed were the ones when his eyes were too watery in the morning. Dimmer was depressed to be sure, but he was optimistic. The future would be better because now he exists. Arkand is no more. Just a happy little boy in the back of his mind that didn't know pain.

Dimmer was a quiet rage at the world, he lived only to annoy it. 

Dimmer was lonely, no one knew of his problems, and he would never be able to express them.

Dimmer was dark, he felt no light within, just utter darkness that enveloped all that he was. The only light he had was a mask he used for other people's benefit.

Dimmer is darkness

Dimmer is silence

Dimmer is solitude

Dimmer is…

IN PAAAAAAIINNNN!!!!! 

Rei looked at the still figure suspiciously. She grabbed him by the cast over his chest and shook him angrily while shouting. "Why you! Do you know how much you made me… everybody worry about you! Way to go you faker!"

"Mmmph mmm..mmm mmmmph mmpph!!" 

(interpretation *get this crazy bitch offa me!*)

Dimmer felt himself being shook back in forth and a lot of pain. He flailed his arms wildly, one stuck in a cast the other jutting straight out.

Rei let him fall back and crossed her arms as she sat on his shattered legs. "You can't fool me! Fall from the sky without a scratch, and you fall from Tokyo tower like it actually hurt."

"Mmph!"

"Oh jeez, Dimmer!" She reached over and pulled the gauss from his mouth. "Now speak."

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!"

"Huh?" Rei was sure he was faking

"Woman, you got severe problems in the head don't ya?!"

"I'm sorry Dimmer, really! I just thought that…" She looked at Dimmer as he tried through much effort to lay back down without any pain. Had he just insulted her? He didn't seem to be joking… That was new. There is something different about him.. "Dimmer? Are you okay?"

"I'd be a lot better if some one hadn't shaken my battered, bruised and broken body like a freakin' rag doll! Bloody Hell Rei! That hurt! In fact it still hurts! Get offa my legs!!!!!!" Dimmer shouted in agony.

Rei was off his bed in a second. 

"Oh jeez I'm sorry Dimmer. I just thought…" She was quickly interrupted. 

"NO you didn't! You obviously didn't "think" at all! Because NO one could actually "think" and come to the conclusion "You know what that guy in the full body cast needs? It's to be sat on and to make him think that he's sittin' on a over-loaded washing machine!"

Rei was well, put in her place. "But I thought, that… I thought… I thought since you survived the fall from the sky, that Tokyo tower and…"

Dimmer raised his hand in a sign for her to shut up. Worried that she had done something to REALLY hurt him this time, she shut up.

"Listen Rei, I don't know why my TV sucked me in and deposited me in a crater along a busy street in your world, but I fell off Tokyo tower and was hit by lightning. SUPERMAN wouldn't have enjoyed that!"

Dragged through his TV?

"My" world?

"Dimmer? Has something happened to you? Has your memory come back.?"

"Oh great. Through the same thinking process that led you to shake my bones out of joint, you've managed to figure out that I remember everything, from me saying one sentence! Can some one please tell me where the logic to that is please?"

Rei gasped. Dimmer remembered his past! … and he was kind of a jerk…

"Okay, okay I'm sorry. Really I didn't mean to hurt you." Rei looked the other way so she wouldn't have to see him strain to lay back down. It was true; he had every right to act like a jerk. Why did she suddenly lose her trust in him like that? Over some stupid rumors that the nurse was asking about too. 

"I just thought you were pretending. I saw you today. You're Sundown, right? I just thought you were trying to get out of telling me, like you promised yesterday. Dimmer, you put us all through a big scare last night okay? I was mad at the thought that you might've done it just to get out of explaining…? Dimmer?" She looked back at the bed. Dimmer was asleep. 

A vein throbbed on her forehead.

Amy was helping Greg up. He wanted to get some exorcise so she was moving him to the wheelchair ordered up for him. The doctors were completely baffled at the infection in Greg's arm. He should have been able to leave yesterday after being patched up, but here he was hardly even able to stand. The doctors were unable to see what Amy's scanners had. The dark cloud had seemed to spread around Greg's entire body. 

"At this rate he might not make it. It's a good thing Rei is here; maybe she can find a way to slow it down.

It was a tough day even for the Sailor scouts yesterday. Amy thought about it while walking the halls of the hospital pushing Greg.

Zoicite's attack, Talenite was her slave it seemed now. The crystal was stolen by Sundown. Tuxedo Mask showed up, so did Sundown. Tuxedo Mask came very close to threatening them. Sundown chased after him. Greg got stabbed in the arm during the fight. He knew she was Sailor Mercury. The wound Sundown's sword had given him was killing him. He said Rei had changed fate somehow. They were summoned to help defend the town from a rampaging Sundown by the television news crew and the police. They decided to trust him again. Rei pulled down his scarf. Amy wondered who Sundown was; Rei was in everybody's way when she pulled it down, so no one else could see. He told them Tuxedo Mask took the crystal from him, and he had another appointment. We let Sundown go. Dimmer somehow fell off Tokyo Tower, and was hit by lightning. He managed to survive.

"Oh, I just know there's something that has to connect Dimmer to all this. Was he following Sundown perhaps? Rei did say he could keep an eye out for the Negaverse or anything suspicious. Knowing Dimmer, that was exactly what he was doing." Rei sighed.

"Tokyo Tower huh? I'd like to meet this Dimmer. And if Miss Rei could help…" Greg was saying as she pushed him along the halls.

Amy smiled, " I don't know, Rei should be able to slow it down again. But I could definitely introduce you to Dimmer. Rei's taking care of him right now, though I doubt he's up yet."

"That's okay Amy. Maybe I'm just being nosey, but I feel that it would be best if I could meet him some how."

Amy turned the corner, to show Greg to Dimmer's room. As they opened the doors, Amy could see Rei's ideas of "taking care of someone" were very similar to the Yakuza's.

"REI!"

"Huh?" Rei looked toward the steaming Amy and swallowed. She looked back at the teary eyed Dimmer she was holding by the scruff of his neck, than back at Amy. 

"Uh oh."

Amy pushed Greg into the room letting the doors shut behind her.

"PUT HIM DOWN! NOW!"

Thump. Dimmer's body hit the mattress. 

Dimmer's head landed facing the wire stuck in his arm. He quickly fell unconscious.

"Rei! Just what were you trying to accomplish?!"

"I just… I was just… I mean… I … I was… He fainted when I was trying…" Oh great Rei thought to herself. I'm bumbling like Serena. "He was awake Amy, than he fell back to sleep." She motioned to the still body.

"Dimmer was awake?" That was great news! "Still that's hardly any reason to throttle him. Even if he said anything offending you Rei, he is very hurt right now, you will just have to wait until after he heals before you put him back in the hospital, alright? Did you take the bandages off his mouth? Help me put them back, they're there for a reason you know."

"Okay Amy. I'm sorry. But I got other news too. When Dimmer was awake, he told me he remembered his past!" Rei mumbled under her breath, "Even if he was being very sarcastic when he admitted it…"

Amy was, as expected, overjoyed at the news. It was the best news she heard in the past while, and she had been trying to find a silver lining behind all of this. "That's great Rei!"

"Oh yes that's right I remember that you said your friend was recovering from amnesia. It's too bad I have to meet him when he was asleep" Greg wheeled in with his one good arm using the electronic switch on the arm of the wheelchair. "I would like to have…" Greg stopped as he seen Dimmer's face. 

"Oh Greg." Rei had only met Greg since they brought him to her temple to help repair the wound. "I didn't notice you there. How is your arm?"

Greg didn't answer as a wave of familiar events washed into his mind. Dimmer's face, but not the one he wore now. It was an unshaven face, years older hidden underneath a scarf. The black brimmed hat glinting in the afternoon sun, and the blade that did not reflect light, that pierced his arm. Greg knew all at once the darkness hidden underneath those closed, peaceful looking eyes.

Dimmer's bangs fell back over his eyes as Greg continued to stare. 

Amy was worried Greg grew suddenly silent in the middle of a sentence. "Rei? Please check on his arm. I'm not sure, but I believe the wound is spreading some how."

"Okay Amy." Rei had a feeling Amy was right. Greg was still staring without blinking at Dimmer's unconscious body. Rei tuned her senses to the supernatural. What she felt she couldn't believe. True the wound with the dark power had spread slowly enveloping Greg's body entirely in a small layer of dark energy, but it was what she felt behind her emanating from Dimmer that surprised her. Dimmer's body was surrounded in a cocoon of the same dark energy. It seemed to slowly seep into Dimmers body and skin. She couldn't see his skin but the bond between his aura and the dark glow was obvious. "But how could one man generate so much dark energy?" Thought Rei, as she tried to do what she could with Greg's wound. She took out one of her seals and placed it on her arm. "If it is a dark aura surrounding the wound as it is Dimmer, than I shouldn't be trying to cleanse the wound," she thought, "I should be trying to cleanse him." 

She sealed the power and the stunned Greg, finally came out of his trance.

Greg looked down at the piece of paper, obviously some kind of ward, on his wound, than back up to Rei. "Thank you Rei I…. I … think I feel a lot better already…" Greg wobbly stood up out of the wheel chair. Amy put his good arm over her neck to help support him. He left it there, but he knew he really didn't need it. Greg felt a little selfish, but he also felt MUCH better being, that close to Amy. He smiled and walked towards Dimmer. Than he wobbled a bit. "Did something just happen to me?" He thought.

"You are the one. You are the instigator, the beginning, the spark that set the all of fate off. I can tell, I can see. You don't belong here, but the question is will we be better for it." Greg leaned close and whispered into Dimmer's ear, "I can see your inner torments, and your punishments. The three evils, don't let them continue to have their way. It maybe that the fate of our world depends on how you fight for it." Greg could no longer understand what he was whispering. He knew his words were being received. He also knew they might not be remembered. He continued to speak, unsure of the words spilling forth from his own mouth.

"Don't let a dark past echo into your future."

"Don't block out others, it is from their strength you must learn to thrive."

"Follow the light of the flame to find your way through the darkness"

"Live. The answer sings of the past self within your mind and it sings of answers you look for in the minds of those around you."

With each line Greg gained a little strength, and the force grew in his words, but when he finished it felt like that same strength and more seeped from him, he was suddenly glad that he accepted Amy's arm helping to hold him up. 

Sudden contortions ripped through Dimmer's body. His eyelids opened up but his pupils were rolled back into his head. And in the low growl that any that heard would recognize as Sundown's voice spoke. "Valor! Do not interfere. All you try, is USELESS! He cannot hear you. Your efforts are futile, and your philosophy, crap." A smirk grew under the bandages on Dimmer's face. "He will choose. And he will choose me, for I am in control, and I offer more power than you."

Greg felt himself stand up on his own with a strength he knew he could never have, he felt his own eyes strain upwards into his skull and spoke with pride. "I am a master of time and space Sundown. He will choose, than we will see just who carries the most strength. The Council has once again foretold what is to come. Your acts against fate have proven worthless, and now fate speaks out against you. Your demise is near."

"We shall see Valor. Fate cannot speak for those who live outside its laws, so again, we shall see." With that the contortions running through Dimmer's body stopped abruptly.

Greg took his arm from Amy. Amy and Rei both looked too stunned to do much.

Greg looked at Amy, "I'm sorry about this Amy, but it is for everyone, I have to do it, but I promise you this. I will never do it again, if I have to change every fate they make, ignore every word they say, I will never do this again." Amy was about to say something, but Greg raised his arm, and made a hand movement in front of her face. Amy stopped and looked like she was in a trance.

Rei shook herself out of her frozen state after seeing what could have been an attempt against her friend. "Hey! What did you do to her you creep!"

The white was all that showed of Greg's eyes, and they started glowing a very sad feeling, blue light. "Rei" All the sadness and loneliness in the world seemed to pulse from those eyes. "I miss you…"

"What do you mean you miss me?" Rei looked closely into the blue light; it seemed soooo… familiar. "Do I know you?"

"Rei, please wait for me. I will be back like I promised… or will promise soon." Greg had a sudden funny look to him that reminded her of someone she thought she knew.

"Stupid time paradoxes. You know? I don't think I'll ever be used to of them. Worry not for Amy she will be fine, but she will not remember this. That is for the best." He smiled; it was a soft, sad smile. The smile of some one who experienced so much heartache and trouble in his past. And his eyes, they shined with a light inside that told of happy memories. That smile, those eyes, she would never forget the expression he wore, she didn't know why but that image was burned upon her heart forever.

Rei looked closer into his eyes, ignoring the fate of a trance-state Amy, believing in his words, though she was not sure why. She forgot that it was Greg that this was coming from. Her heart was crossed with worry about Dimmer who had gone through some strange change upon remembering his past. She felt strength and offered comfort from those eyes. The comfort se needed so badly after Dimmer's fall. Her face and Greg's were now inches apart. Her face was bathing in the eerie glow coming from his eyes.

"I can't do it." she heard him whisper to himself, "I just can't." Tears were streaming down Greg's face, "but this wasn't Greg." Rei thought. She knew it, yet it was all she knew. She didn't know what stranger had inhabited Greg's body, she didn't know what she was doing, and she didn't know how their lips met. She felt his intake of breath, and the soft feeling of his lips. It felt like an eternity and a second all collapsed, time was meaningless while touching him. An eternity did pass and yet it ended all to soon. 

They slowly parted, Rei felt herself shaking from the emotions running through her. She watched as he mouthed the words "thank you". He brought two of his fingers to his lips, and softly kissed the tip of them, she watched as his hand slowly came toward her. She closed her eyes in anticipation. She felt his soft touch in the middle of her forehead, and shivered as his fingers trailed down off the tip of her nose to place themselves as soft as a kiss upon her lips. The fingers fell from her lips and all at once she felt, rather than saw, the glow in Greg's eyes disappear. She felt a sudden wave of loneliness unlike any she had felt before. Tears brimmed along her eyes, as she knew for some reason she would wait a long time before seeing him again, and yet somehow knew he was close to her. 

"Valor" She said the word to herself, "Sundown called him Valor"

"Sundown called who Valor? Was Sundown here? Rei? Rei!" Amy was trying to get Rei's attention. But her friend just continued to stare off into space. Amy was going to try to shake her out, but she looked so fulfilled just leaning against the wall like that, so at peace. The doctors would be moving Dimmer's bed out of the emergency ward soon though, so Amy got her attention after she put the fallen unconscious Greg back in his wheelchair. Amy made a mental note to ask Rei how Greg had fallen in the first place later.

Next time on Sailor Moon!:

*Sailor Moon waves*

"Hi again! Next time in A Change of Fate, me and the rest of the scouts, are going to try to clear things up! And we finally figure out why Dimmer is always falling unconscious in the middle of things. 

remember bad memories are a very hard thing to get over, but we can't let something like that get in our way of being happy! Don't give up! Things will get better!"

Sailor Moon says!" She giggles

Mike's vcr stops recording.

Endnotes:

    Short chapter! And now Dimmer's past has come into play. What the heck am I supposed to do for an encore? Who the hell is Valor?! 
    Thanks to my reviewers! I got a new one! Thanks Li Ying Fa!! *rolls up sleeves and is ready to type*
    I'm inspired more from ya, and I'm ready to write! And just to answer. No I don't live in Newfoundland, just the gateway there, in Nova Scotia. Did I say that in the email? 
    ^^; I have a horrible memory…
    Hope to see more of them reviews! You have no idea how much more I like to write when I can tell people are reading this.
    See ya next time!


	14. A Time to Think

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

"Hello." Chad leaned his head through the door of the hospital room, and waved.

"Hi, Amy right?" He was about to shake her hand in greeting, when he noticed Dimmer in his body cast.

"Woah! Hey Dim, look at the mess you got yourself into. Had me worried sick after I seen what you were up to. 'Course you're still the only guy I'd have even thought of, who could survive something like that. Hey! He's not awake yet?"

Amy was a little startled to see Chad about to greet her than push past her and sit by his friend. She was even more surprised to find out that Chad expected him to be awake. Of course she met Chad before, but they never talked much. Rei was always there to chase him away. This time though Rei had went for a walk and said that she would be back soon, she said she had something on her mind, and she wouldn't answer any of the questions on what happened to Greg.

"I don't know how you knew that he had already woke up, but that doesn't matter. Did you see what happened to Dimmer?"

"Uh… kinda?" Chad watched a stranger call the ambulance for Dimmer, seeing him as the heaping mass he was in the middle of the wet asphalt. The problem was he couldn't let anyone know he was working with him, so he waited back at the temple anxiously for the hospital to call. Instead Rei called up that morning and told them everything that happened. He knew Dimmer would be okay, or should he say Sundown? The feeling in his hand that told him that Dimmer was transformed, told him that the man in the body cast was in fact Sundown at this very minute. He had taken the dagger away from his body in case someone tried to steal it that night. But the question did remain on how Rei found out Dimmer had been sent to the hospital.

"Kinda? What do you mean kinda?"

"Well Dimmer and I... we … uuh came down after he seen Sundown on the news! Yeah that's it! You see, we wanted to see what was going on, so we went to the top of Tokyo tower to get a good look." Chad was getting into this, but he had to think of a reason to why he didn't show up with Dimmer at the hospital, "The guy in purple hair!"

"What?" Amy was curious now, was Chad talking about Talenite?

"Yeah the ice cream vendor! The guy came out of nowhere! We tried to fight him but I was knocked on my ass! Before I went unconscious I seen Dimmer try to take him alone, after that I didn't know what happened until Rei called this morning!"

Amy was deep in thought. What reason did Talenite have to attack Chad and Dimmer? Does he know that it was them who had informed the scouts about his disguise? 

"Must have been one heck of an ice cream vender to take you guys on huh?" She laughed nervously.

"Yeah, he certainly was." Chad scratched the back of his head and also laughed nervously.

Chad's mind: *she's hiding something*

Amy' mind: *he's hiding something*

"Hey uh… Amy?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think he'll wake up soon?"

"Hard to say. According to Rei, he's been in and out of consciousness all morning. Wonder where Rei is anyway, she said she was going for a walk, but she wanted to be back before you and her grandfather got here."

"I can answer that one, we saw her on the way in, Sensai and her are talking out in the main hall."

"Oh, I see… WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Chad was shaking Dimmer vigorously the same way Rei was earlier. "I'm waking him up. Lately he's been real bad for this, so Sensai told me and Rei to wake him up in anyway necessary."

"But you can't do that to him now!"

"Huh? Sure I can, watch." He shook him harder.

Amy was about to say something when she noticed Dimmer's eyes were slowly starting to open.

Dimmer woke up. His gaze set upon the wire putting blood into his arm, and he screamed ripping his arm from it. His arm started bleeding profusely all over the room in a spraying directly from the artery the wire was attached to. Dimmer never stopped screaming, as he flailed his arms. He fell back wards hard, breaking the window behind him and falling three stories headfirst. He screamed as he watched the ground rush up to meet him. 

And suddenly he woke up

Dimmer "MMMMPPPHHHHed" in pain as he was shaken awake for the third time that morning. His eyes focused on Chad with a strange thin, blurry line in front of Chad's face. As his eyes grew into focus he recognized the wire from the nightmare he just had. As the I.V. came into focus, Dimmer promptly rolled his eyes back into his skull and fainted.

Amy and Chad just sweatdropped. It was Chad who spoke. "I think I know why he's been in and out of consciousness."

"You mean besides people continuing to shake his very fragile body?"

"Uuh… yeah that too."

"Okay I'll bite what's going on?"

"He's scared of the sight of blood."

"You're kidding."

"No, actually. Needles and stuff, or anything that even has the slightest hint of drawing blood from him, he's terrified of. Doesn't like to see anything else bleed either, tries to get away from it as soon as possible."

"Okay, but how did you find out?"

"You seen the way we train didn't you? Can you guess who has the most experience of seeing him bleed?"

"Okay how come I didn't know."

"He's usually pretty careful of hurting himself, you should have seen him in the park the other day, when he scraped his knee. You probably saw a few of his glow in the dark band-aids. He always has them just in case." 

Taking in this new information, Amy looked at Dimmer and saw the blood transfusion wires, and I.V. sticking out of him. Come to think of it, she did remember Dimmer saying something of the sort once before. She just shook her head and called for a nurse.

"Ahhahahahaahaahaah"

"Grandpa, stop laughing, I wasn't joking! That's the condition he's in right now."

"I believe you Rei, don't worry. That Dimmer, always getting you so worked up. It brings a tear to this old man's eye."

"Grandpa stop it! This is serious!"

"Rei, listen to your grandfather. Dimmer will be fine. I've seen the type before. Almost got you engaged to one way back than. Ahahaahahahahahahhaaah."

"What are talking about?!"

"Fine pig-tailed boy, great martial artist. His father was offering him for food and shelter."

"WHAT?!"

"Oh don't worry Rei, you're not engaged. I could never send a poor hungry father and son away. They stayed and I helped train the boy. Could stand up to anything I threw at him and be up to face me the next day." The old man reminisced mostly to himself

"Grandpa, what are you going on about?" Rei sighed, "Okay come on to Dimmer's room and see for yourself, alright?"

Rei lead her grandfather to Dimmer's room to find a doctor and nurse rolling away the I.V. cords, and a few other items. Rei ran in with her grandfather following behind at a leisurely pace.

"Dimmer!" Rei yelled as she skidded to a stop in his room.

"Yes?"

Dimmer was being fed cereal by Amy, the bandages over his mouth pulled down. Chad arched an eyebrow.

"But I just saw … I mean the doctors…You and wires…"

"Dimmer my boy!" Rei's grandfather interrupted 

"Hello Sensai."

"So Rei tells me you no longer suffer from amnesia."

"She speaks the truth Sensai."

"Sooo… What's the background story behind my newest student? Where are you from?"

"Umm… about that Sensei… I was wondering…"

"Yes my boy?" 

"I… I really don't want to say… Can we keep this a secret? I mean me getting my memory back and all."

Amy looked at Dimmer. This wasn't like the Dimmer she knew. He never kept secrets… "Why Dimmer? What's wrong?"

"I … I don't wanna go back Aimes. The government, they'll send me back, and I don't wanna go… it's probably not even the right place". The last part was said as a whisper as he looked out at the view of the highway and city. 

The people in the room just looked back and forth at each other, searching for something to say. It was Rei's grandfather with a knowing look, who found his voice. 

"Of course Dimmer. I welcomed you into my temple with certain conditions. You have always finished your tasks, and kept to those conditions. As long as you continue to wish to stay with us, I will allow it. But I will say this Dimmer. Do not turn your past aside, if nothing else is to be obtained from it, there is much past experience in it that you can learn from."

"Thank you Sensai." Dimmer looked to the other three people in the room.

"Hey, Dimmer! It's me, Chad! You're best bud right? No worries here."

Amy was a little different in her opinion. 

"Just to let you know Dimmer I don't believe this is the right thing to do. But it's your past, and if it's what you want, I will respect that."

Rei looked into to Dimmer's eyes as if she could try to find what he was hiding. She knew she wouldn't be able to drag up anything that way, there was so much she wanted to ask him that might be about his past, Sundown, maybe Valor? She never once thought that his past might be a sore spot for him. She thought it would simply be great if he remembered… that… 

"But Dimmer what about your parents? Your friends? Won't they miss you?

"Rei… please. My parents will have a hard time. But… well… please Rei? I can't … don't want to go on about it alright?"

"Well Dimmer okay. If you say so. After all", she smiled, "You're keeping a secret for me too right?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. The whole sideki… oof!"

"Oops" Rei was smiling and looking the other way, as her elbow smacked Dimmer in 

the forehead. 

A knock at the door ended any conversation that might have started. "Excuse me?" It was Nurse Kala. "Sorry, to disturb you. But I'm afraid the doctors want to do a check up on Dimmer now. You'll be allowed back in around one during regular visiting hours. I'm sorry, it's the best I can do."

"We understand Miss. Kala. Thank you for letting us come in this early." Rei stood up and thanked her.

"Very well than. When should I expect you home Dimmer?" Rei's Grandfather asked. 

Dimmer simply smirked. "Tomorrow if there's anything I can say about it."

"Very well Dimmer, I will see you than." The old Man chuckled, as he left.

"Dimmer. You know that they'll want you in longer than that, don't you?

"Sure do Aimes, don't worry about it. I'll find some way outta this joint."

"Dimmer, for once just do what the doctors tell you? Okay? I'll see you at two."

"No problem. See ya now."

After Amy left the room, she got a suspicion that Dimmer hadn't paid any attention to her.

"Okay, check in on you later Dim."

"See ya Chad. Fetch me my knife for me wouldja?"

"Sure thing. See you after."

"Later."

Chad threw a smile toward the nurse, who was quick to leave the room for some reason. Chad sighed, and walked out.

Rei looked back toward Dimmer. "Knife?"

"Uuh… you probably won't believe me, but I'm still in my Sundown transformation. I need it to turn back to… well… me."

"Ah. Remember you promised to explain things to me. And now there's a few more things I have questions about."

"The whole bit with Greg?"

Rei blushed, "Not now. When we have time alright?"

"K. Later."

"See ya."

CHOCOLATE SHOP. TWO HOUR LATER.

Serena sat down and started scarfing her ice cream down in record timing. She spoke with her mouth full. "Mmm… mmM! Delicious."

Rei was a little annoyed, "Would you stop for a second Serena? Were trying to be serious here!" A vein was starting to throb in her forehead.

"So lets get things straight Amy. You say that Chad and Dimmer were attacked by Talenite on top of Tokyo Tower?" Lita decided to try to continue to stop the what may have been another oncoming fight.

"Well according to Chad anyway, but he was still referring to Talenite as the Ice cream stand guy."

"But why would he attack them?"

"I'm not sure, perhaps it was because of them spotting him at the ice cream stand?"

"Really?" Serena blurted. "I thought it might be because Dimmer is Sundown." This said, she immediately went back to her all-important task of finishing off her ice cream dish.

Amy, with whatever theory she was about to come up with flushed down the toilet, was left with her jaw hanging open. Lita was in a similar state.

"What?" Rei looked at the other two, "You mean you didn't know? I thought everyone found out when I pulled off his scarf on the rooftop yesterday."

Flash back of event

Rei pulls off Sundown's scarf while Serena tugs on his dagger. Serena and Rei gasp, while Lita and Amy are left with a great view of the back of Rei's head.

Back to present

Lita was still looking up from remembering. "Oh. I was wondering why Rei told him it was alright to go."

"Well that would explain some things. Like how we saved him during lizard ambush. We toasted some of the lizards that were about to get the drop on him remember?" Amy was coming to some realizations.

Rei was a little more concerned with the present though. "Of course since its Dimmer it has to be complicated…"

"What is that supposed to mean Rei? Dimmer is Sundown. Isn't that simple?"

"It would be Serena. If I thought it was that simple. There was a small event that happened in the hospital that makes me think things are not going to be easy." Rei remembered the eerie conversation between the battered Dimmer's body and possessed Greg. 

"What do you mean Rei? What event is this?" Luna agreed with Rei that there was probably something more to this. Who was this Sundown? Was he the reason or Dimmer's quick learning abilities? Hopefully Rei's new information would shed SOME kind of light on this whole thing.

"Well Luna. Amy brought Greg in with her to visit Dimmer this morning. We spoke for a bit. Than Greg tried to speak."

"Yes, I remember Rei. Than you bent over Greg and kept looking back at Dimmer. You put one of your seals on Greg's arm didn't you? Than… than… hey that's strange I can't remember."

"I'll try to explain Amy. First I noticed the same dark energy coming from Greg's wound, was surrounding Dimmer in a cocoon like state. I put a seal on the energy and I "was" going to see if I could link it back to Dimmer. But before I got the chance Greg thanked me, and said he felt better. Greg got up from the wheelchair and leaned over to speak with Dimmer. They were strange words. He said Dimmer was the start of something about setting fate off. He said something about not letting the three evils have their way. Also he said not to let a dark past echo throughout your future, not blacking out others, and thriving from their strengths, and following a light through darkness. He told him to live. And that an answer sings about the past self in your mind and that it sings of answers in the minds of those around you."

"Greg said that?"

"Yes and no Amy, and this is the part that makes me think that Sundown may not really be Dimmer."

"Oh. This is so cool. Stop for a second Rei. I'm gonna go get some popcorn."

"What?! Serena, Can't you think of anything but your stomach?"

"I know, I know, but this is getting sooo spooky! It felt kind of like we were at the movies."

"Actually I'm with Serena on this one, anybody else want anything as long as we're up?"

"Okay fine. Could you two get me a refill Lita?

"Sundae please."

"Milk."

Everyone stopped and looked at Luna.

"What? I'm not allowed to have a treat every now and than?" Luna stuck her nose up in the air.

"Weeeeeeell… okay Luna, but I think Dimmer's starting to spoil you." Serena smiled and laughed at her cat as she got up to follow Lita to the counter. Luna huffed and lay down on Serena's chair. "When will that girl ever grow up?"

"You got me Luna". Rei sighed.

Amy just smiled, as usual trying not to take sides.

"Okay! We're baa~ack!" Serena was carrying a new arm full of refreshments and junk food.

Lita passed Rei her pop and Luna her milk. Serena handed Amy her sundae. 

"Thank you Serena. Now Greg said all this to Dimmer, and next is the part that makes you question Dimmer being Sundown?

"Uh huh. After Greg said all this Dimmer's entire body started to convulse! Than in that growling voice Sundown usually uses during a fight, he called Greg "Valor"."

"Valor? Does that mean Greg was being controlled by this Valor?"

"I think so Lita. Well that's my guess, and the way they talked it seemed as if Sundown and him were fighting over which one of them Dimmer would choose."

"Oh, I see what you mean than. You think that Sundown maybe in control of Dimmer. So Sundown is a separate person than him."

"Exactly Amy. I believe we're dealing with two possessing entities that want Dimmer to choose between them."

"But when Dimmer talks to us and friends as Sundown, like up on the rooftop, he didn't use that voice at all. What does that mean?"

"Nice observation Serena. Any comments Rei? You're our expert in this area."

"I don't know what to tell you Luna, I hadn't thought of that. It seems than that Dimmer isn't under full control of Sundown, but normally in that case he shouldn't be able to access Sundown's powers."

"Well he definitely had them. He was pretty hard to catch, we wouldn't have caught him if Amy hadn't thought of how to herd him toward us."

"Yes, but Lita it was you and Rei that were able to let it happen. But that brings us back to the question from earlier, Chad said Talenite attacked him and Dimmer back at the tower. If Talenite attacked Dimmer, than he must definitely know our identities.

"Oh no! But how?"

"I don't know Serena, but now we will have to take extra precautions around our families. That means only Lita will have enough time to go on patrols because her parents are in America."

"Hey don't worry, I won't let you down, but there might be another who can help, though he's kind of indisposed right now."

"Who's that Lita?"

"Dimmer, after all him and Chad found Talenite for us last time. Not to mention I've got a friend at the newspaper who can keep an eye out for me…"

"I don't think he'll be indisposed for long Lita. He told me earlier this morning, he's still in his transformed state."

"In other words he's still Sundown?"

"That's right Amy. I believe Sundown uses dark energy to fight. So it maybe that the dark energy cocoon surrounding him may be trying to regenerate him. He's going to try to transform back to Dimmer tonight after Chad brings him his dagger, you know Serena, the one you were pulling on? It must be to him like our wands are to us."

"So Chad knows he's Sundown?" Serena was about to question Lita about her friend, but for once decided to be more professional. Besides she'd rather talk to Lita about that in private.

Rei's jaw just dropped as she stared blankly at Serena. "Uuuh… well… yes.. I mean of course he does. I think. I mean he knows about his dagger after all right?" she scratched the back of her head in embarrassment, and thought to herself, "How come I didn't think of that?"

"Does that mean Chad knows about us?"

"No Lita, remember Dimmer swore to keep our secret for us in the park. He'd never go against that. Now that I think about he must've thought we knew he was Sundown right away. He certainly gave more than a fair share of hints."

"So we'll see if Dimmer will help us on the patrols?" Serena asked hopefully

"That's the plan Serena." Lita said glad for the extra help. The city was way too large for her to cover alone. Even as Sailor Jupiter, but maybe not too large for Sailor Jupiter and Sundown. Of course that only left two people out for only half of the time. "We really have to figure out a way to narrow the search down."

"Well than it'll soon be time for visiting hours again. It'll only be Chad and us there. We'll see if we can't get this whole thing straightened out. We better start the walk to the hospital now if we want to be on time."

"Okay, Serena you can go on patrols too. I can call you if anything comes up at your house."

"Sounds good Luna. Let's go see Dimmer. Luna, you can go back to the house without me right? They won't allow cats in the hospital."

"I'll be fine Serena, but make sure you remember everything so you can tell me when you get home. I'm going to go check in with central."

"Bye Luna!" 

If it were anyone but Serena the people at the shop might have weirded out by the blonde girl leaving her cat in the shop, and yelling "bye" to it. But it being Serena no one paid it any mind and just let the cat out when it asked at the door.

Dimmer was thinking to himself as he waited for visiting hours to come. "So I'm stuck in a T.V. show? And Sailor Moon at that? I wonder how many people would kill to be me right now. Heh, a few month's ago "I" would kill me for this chance, but when I think about it, it kinda sucks. What am I supposed to tell them? I come from a world where you guys exist as a famous cartoon T.V. show. Everything you do, and every trouble that you go through is predetermined by what would entertain the people from my world. You live and die, feel pain and pleasure all so people will have something to watch on Saturday mornings. Hell, now yas are nothin' but re-runs. How am I supposed to tell them where I'm from? There's a question. Do "I" already exist in this world? Maybe here I'm the famous T.V. show. He smirked at that thought. Nah. What a crappy cartoon that would make. And if the government figures out where I'm from, they may send be back to Canada. I may not even have a home there.

Dimmer sighed. I need some kind of game. He wanted to get away from his thoughts for a bit. Escape into another world. This time hoping for a fictional one. That got him thinking more. 

"I wonder if those game worlds are real too. Man, there may be an infinite number of dimensions. What if every story made up… thought up even, created a new world? Or an entire new dimension? What chance do I have of ever getting back to my own? 

Damn! I hate thinking too much. It would be horrible to think that each deranged world the human mind is capable of thinking up actually exists."

He was already up and walking about staring out the window. The doctors were completely ecstatic. Only a few breaks and fractures remained. He had bandages around his waste and chest area, one cast on his left arm being held in a sling in front of him and crutches he leaned while his legs still healed inside casts of their own.

"Really Dimmer," The voice came from the door to his room, he turned around to see The girls piling in and Amy talking. 

"You think much too little of people. It's true there would be an unfathomable amount of such disastrous worlds, but there would also be just as many worlds that would be the equivalent to a paradise, according to your theory."

"Oh hi Girls. Didn't realize I's thinkin' ou' loud. How much didja hear anyway?"

"Just the last part Dimmer. Didn't know you were such a deep thinker." Serena laughed.

Dimmer just smiled back in return. He loved Serena's smile. "Cartoon or not," He thought, this time to himself, "I still love to see them smile."

"So what do I owe the honor of the whole gang's visit?"

"Sundown" They all said together.

Dimmer grew a big sweatdrop on the back of his head. "Shhh! Keep it down! At least shut the door. It's no wonder Talenite figured out who you guys are."

Lita shut the door while Amy continued on with the conversation. "So it is true? You really are Sundown?"

"Hey! I thought I made it clear enough. I tried telling yas but yas never paid any attention."

"Yes Dimmer." Rei interrupted, "We know were at fault too. Now it's question time again though."

"Like I said at the beginning of the last question session. Shoot."

"First, you're Sundown right now, right?"

"Yes, kinda, I'm a mixture, there's some of me and some of him. I haven't had a chance to change back completely since I seen you guys yesterday and at Tokyo tower. Chad has my dagger too, so I can't change back until he comes back with it."

"That's our next question than Dim… I mean Sundown. Which should I call you right now?" Amy asked.

"Dimmer's fine. Makes for better should someone walk in on our conversation. Just call me Sundown when I transform after I get outta here."

"Okay than Dimmer, our next question is what was your appointment that you had yesterday that got people in such an uproar? Did it have to do with what happened at the tower?"

"Right as usual Amy. When I caught Talenite at the battle scene, before I tied him up in telephone wire, he wanted to talk to me alone. It was an appointment up at the top of Tokyo Tower. As to what happened? Well we talked." Dimmer's voice turned to a lower growl. 

"I wanted to kill him. I wasn't to keen on the fact that he came back after my warning on the night when I first became Sundown. He convinced me to let him live. He is now going to be our spy against the Negaverse. Though I'm not sure he is to be trusted, he may just give us an advantage."

"Why would he be our spy?" Lita asked, still standing by the door.

"Not yours Lita. Mine. He fears me much more than he fears Beryl. I'm guessing she is your main enemy?" Best keep up some pretenses.

"Yes, that would be her. Tell us what else happened Dimmer. I figure there's more to it than just this."

"Right again Amy. He also told me that one thing that made me trust him almost completely."

"What's that?"

"He knows who you girls are. He simply followed you all home that night. But he hasn't told the Negaverse. I don't think you should worry too much about your families, but you should still make sure they're well protected just in case he betrays us as easily as he does Beryl."

"We've made some arrangements for that already."

"But Dimmer" Serena interrupted, "What happened to you that made you fall off? Chad said Talenite attacked the two of you."

"Good ol' Chad. No Serena. I only wish that were the case. The truth is a little embarrassing and hard to accept, as the truth often is. You see I'm just starting to learn the limitations of my powers. I was Sundown for well over the majority of yesterday. Seems my time as him ran out. And lost were my extraordinary powers. I'm just starting regain them back now. So I was stuck at the tip of the tower with no way down. I started to climb, not wanting to try to explain how I got up there. I was tired, and it started to rain. I lost my grip and fell. Just when I got another grip, the tower was struck with lightning, and because of me being wet from the rain, I felt the effects of it rather sharply. I fell the rest of the way."

"Ouch."

"Serena you have a way with understatements."

"Okay than," Lita thought out loud, "Than why did Chad lie to Amy?"

"I'm sorry girls that one I can't answer without his expressed permission."

"Fair enough. Can you tell us why you're here than? What are your goals?" Lita continued.

"No. I have no idea how I got here. I am from an entire different dimension. As you heard me thinking about earlier. I was just watching T.V. one morning and it sucked me in. It's the main reason why I really don't wanna be deported."

"You're T.V. sucked you in?"

"Don't ask me. I don't make portals into other dimensions, I just fall in them it seems. Though it does explain my abrupt fall into that intersection. Even though my memory is back I still don't remember that fall. Though I suppose that doesn't really matter. 

"Did you always have these powers?"

"Heh. No, didn't learn very well either. Mild case of an attention disorder. Horrible memory, and addicted to gaming, anime, role playing pen and paper games, and my sketches. That was all that would hold my attention for very long."

"How did you discover this Sundown?"

"The dagger. I had a funny dream about it, woke up and it was spinning around in the air. I grabbed it, it transformed me. A feeling told me you guys were in danger, I went to see what I could do to help."

"Is Dimmer your real name?"

"No Serena, it was my nickname. I don't like my real one, so I think I'll just keep going by Dimmer okay?"

"Sure, I know a lot of people that don't like their names." Serena smiled.

Dimmer/Sundown smiled back.

"You know Dimmer. Are you a bit taller than normal?"

He looked at himself as well as he could, "Not from what I can tell…"

"No," Rei looked closer, "No Serena's right your taller. I don't usually have to look this far up to you. You're almost as tall as Darien! I didn't notice with you in bed before. Hey! You even need to shave!"

"Of course I need to shave. I haven't been able to for a while. I never thought to by a razor yet." He picked up a small hand mirror, "Actually it's weird usually I'd have a well grown in mustache and goutea by now."

"No way Dimmer your what? 14 or 15?"

"What are you going on about? I'm 21. I was finishing an art program in college. Next year I was supposed to get into a digital animation course."

"What?" The girls said all at once.

"Is that true Dimmer? You do look a lot older than you usually do…" To use another understatement, Rei was confused.

"Hello!"

"Oh hi Chad! Got it?"

Chad looked at the girls and back at Dimmer.

"It's okay dude they know."

"Oh, okay. Here ya go." Chad tossed the black bladed dagger to Sundown who caught it in his good hand, raised it high in the air and called out, 

"Dark powers three, recede back into the shadows from which you came!"

At that the black energy tendrils that Rei could see surrounding Sundown became visible to all. They swirled around the dagger and were sucked straight into the dark blade itself.

Dimmer visibly shrunk and any whiskers he had shrunk back into his face. He was as he looked before the tower incident. 

"So that's it. The dagger turns you back into your original form before you arrived here."

"No Amy, I think the dagger just turns me into whatever age suits it. Mainly the age I'm at my prime in. I think should someone else of an older age use it, they would become in their 20's too."

"What makes you say that?"

"I'm not sure you'd have to use the dagger to find out. I think it just brings out your potential to its absolute fullest, and past."

"Hmmm… interesting. What are you doing?

"Taking these casts off. I think I'm fine now. Feels more like bruises than breaks."

"That's great Dimmer!" Serena cheered, "Hey! Who is that?!"

The glass in the window suddenly disappeared completely, and Talenite took its place kneeling in front of Dimmer. 

"Master Sundown! I come at your bidding."

"Huh?" Dimmer answered intelligently, "I didn't tell you to meet me tonight."

Talenite didn't even look up 

"No, but you did tell me to contact you when there is to be an attack. I have learned of Zoicite's latest plan. She intends to find a crystal bearer tomorrow and she plans a trap for the scouts." He finally looked into Dimmer's eyes. 

"Tonight."

*Sailor Moon waves at the camera*

"Hellooo! Sailor Moon here.

We finally cleared things up today, so no one was left in the dark. Thinking and talking things out with trusted friends will almost always prove helpful in whatever problem you have. You don't always have to do things by yourself.

Remember Sailor Moon says!"

"Next time in "A Change of Fate" The scouts and friends go up against the Negaverse in the hardest battle yet! Don't miss it!"

Mike's vcr stopped recording once more.

Mike watched the end of the show with a dumb struck expression. He had watched the tape he recorded last Saturday, and couldn't believe what he had seen. This one confirmed it. 

"… It couldn't be! Could it? But how?"

He rushed over and picked up his phone.

Endnotes: 

Hello peoples!! ^^ 

Here I update again.

Hey two reviews in as many chapters! I'm suddenly really giddy ^^

Mr. Anonymous, thanks for the review, as for the last part being confusing? It's supposed to be. ^^ but I'll try to explain better. Hope the end of this chapter helps ya out a bit.

This fic is only just beginning, and there's little I enjoy more than messing with the mind. 

Pleeze keep the reviews coming! I love them all! 

Thx again, see ya next time!


	15. A time to Fight

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, and this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

"Where?" Dimmer was quick to attention.

"An apartment of a painter. Her name is …"

"Peggy, right?" Serena was quick to fill in.

"That is correct Sailor Moon. Your information is better than I had estimated it to be."

"Yeah Serena. How did you know who was going to be attacked?"

"Well me and Molly went to an art gallery today. Peggy is a famous upcoming painter and she asked for me to model for her today. I didn't go because we had the scout meeting and I wanted to visit Dimmer today. I was going to go over there tomorrow."

Dimmer shook his head. "I remember this episode." He said softly to himself. "Serena fate predetermined that you should have been there tonight. You know where her apartment is right?"

Serena nodded.

"You girls get there quick. When you reach near her apartment look around for a construction yard. Zoicite will have to pass by there to get back to the Negaverse."

"Right!" the girls all said, and were about to rush out the door and transform.

"Wait" Rei stopped suddenly, "Dimmer how do you know all this?"

"No time for that now Rei, I need some time to recharge. I can't help you guys tonight. Tuxedo Mask will be making an appearance though. Now get outta here!"

Rei Simply nodded and followed out the door behind the rest of the girls.

Without looking back toward the window. Dimmer spoke to Talenite.

"Watch them. I know you don't want to be seen. Help in any way you can if they get in over their heads. Than come back here to report to me what happened."

"They will be in trouble Master Sundown. The strategy was in case you showed up."

Dimmer's eyebrows strained together as he thought, and looked toward Chad, who stood there stunned by what he just learned, and forgotten amidst the commotion.

"Did you plan for Tuxedo Mask as well?"

"No choice young master, it seems Zoicite has been developing an unhealthy personal vendetta against him for hitting her face during the last battle."

"Chad do you understand everything happening here?"

"Uuh… I think so… mostly. The girls are the gnarly girls in mini skirts that fight the bad guys, but the bad guys set a trap for them right?"

"That's right. Sundown is accounted for in the power level they're going to use to trap the girls. That maybe too much for even the Sailor Scouts to handle. Can you catch up to them?"

"Guess we'll see won't we. I'll do everything in my power to help."

"I'm sorry to ask this of you Chad, but we've run outta options, and Daybreak maybe an ace in the hole. Only Tuxedo Mask may have a hint at who you are be careful of him. He's friendly, but he needs to use the crystal the girls need. That means they're at ends with each other at the moment."

"Got you. You going to chat to me all night long or are you gonna let me go try to find that construction site?"

Dimmer smiled and gestured to the door.

Moments later Chad was riding his Harley in his trenchcoat down the now evening lit streets. Chad was thinking. This was going to be difficult. These things he was going to have to fight may be able to walk through the same explosions Sundown walked through on him when up Chad's cabin. Chad looked up to the sky to see it darkening. Nightfall was on its way, and Sundown couldn't make it. Chad smiled, that just meant Daybreak was going to have to come early. At that, he wheelied around a street corner that he'd caught glimpse of the girls go around before they took to the air as the scouts.

"Young Master. I must go Zoicite expects me to watch over the battle."

"Than by all means go."

"By your leave Young Master." That said Talenite teleported away.

Dimmer stared out the window. He wondered what would happen now, his interference without meaning to, had changed the fate of this rerun. Does that mean that by being here he may cause the death of the scouts? He had some thinking to do, but what he really wanted was to help his friends. Why is it despite how many friends he could make he always was left alone? The streetlight outside his window went out, and his bangs fell down in front of his eyes. As he tried to tuck his bangs back behind his ear, you could hear him mutter under his breath, "Bastard."

The scouts had found the construction site little trouble. Serena knew where it was having been here earlier. The only question was were they in time? 

"Did we make it on time do you think Amy?" Lita asked putting everyone's thoughts into spoken words.

"I can't be sure Lita but we should all be prepared, if Dimmer was correct about this location there's not telling when they might show up.

Rei looked around quickly before saying anything. "Lita you hide behind that bulldozer I'm going by the crane, we'll take forward positions and try form some surprise close combat. Amy we'll need to use your fog as cover fire, so we'll need you in the back. Try hiding over there by the pile of pipes."

"Right!" Amy and Lita said both rushing off toward their said hiding spots, and Rei was about to run to her own.

"Hey Sailor Mars! What about me?"

"Go stand in that open field."

"What?!"

"Sorry Sailor Moon but we need to give them a reason to come to us. She'll leave with the crystal if she sees us all here waiting for her, but if she only sees you we might be able to nab her!"

"Alright! Good plan Sailor Mars. Sailor Moon reporting in as bait as ordered!" she saluted, and ran to her designated area.

Sailor Mars watched her go. She was expecting some kind of an argument from her. Maybe Sailor Moon was well suited to be the leader. "I guess even the meatball head can show some guts sometimes." 

"Hey! I heard that!" :p Sailor Moon stuck out her tongue at Sailor Mars.

"Than again" she sighed to herself, and ran toward the crane.

"Talenite! What have you to report?"

"All is set Zoicite. If the scouts show up they won't stand a chance."

"They better not Talenite or I'll put your head on a pike, have it stuffed and delivered to Queen Beryl. Who knows she might consider Talenite on a stick to be a delicacy!" Zoicite laughed evilly. Talenite flinched noticeably. He didn't know what grated him more, her threats at having his head or her shrill laugh. 

"All will go according to plan I assure you Zoicite."

"Very good. She held out the dark crystal in her hand and smiled, Beryl would be pleased. She than looked back toward her new youma. It hardly resembled the young artist she was. She was now just another grotesque youma. Her only semblance of the artist was the paintbrush in her hand. 

Talenite disappeared in case the Sundown showed up. Zoicite swore at his cowardice. She would see to it after the world was over he would die for it. As they flew over a construction site she stopped to look down. There stood the obstacle that always seemed to stand in her way, and she looked to be alone. 

She smiled to herself and called out, "All by yourself Sailor Moon? And I was expecting your friends to be here." Zoicite landed herself on the ground, her new youma landed behind her. "Too bad my plan is going to be a little overkill than, but to get rid of you, it's well worth it."

"So you think you can take me down that easy Negagoon!? Fine than came and get me!" Sailor Moon taunted her.

Zoicite smiled, "Just what I wanted to hear. Youma attack!"

"AHAhahahAHhA!" The Youma laughed as it drew its paintbrush at Sailor Moon., "When you were born your mother said what a picture!" she drew a hang man's knot around Sailor Moons neck, "Your father said yeah lets hang it Ahhahahaahaah!"

Sailor Moon just barely pulled her head away in time to see the rope close where her neck was. "Man! She is quick! Help! Yikes!" Sailor moon yiped out as she barely dodged all the large rocks the youma would draw in the air above her and would drop down always just one step behind her. 

"I could use some help here guys!" She called out as one boulder came particularly close.

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" was called out from behind the pipes, and a blanket of fog quickly covered the area.

"Supreme Thunder Crash!" Sailor Jupiter called out as she ran forward. Her lightning blew the rock the youma was about clobber Sailor Moon with to rubble.

"Mars Fire Ignite!" Rei taking a different tactic blasted her fire toward her surprised opponent. Zoicite. 

"What the?!" Zoicite was blasted up against the wall of the supervisor's camper making a sever dent in the side of it, and Sailor Mars was barreling toward her. Mars slammed her fist into Zoicite's gut and than her other fist into Zoicite's face, before the too stunned Zoicite could react. The scouts had never attacked her! 

Zoicite threw a pink energy ball down at the ground beside Mars. The explosion threw them both far apart.

Mars got up to take a martial arts stance. Zoicite got up and laughed. "You think I didn't plan for this? Five lizards jumped Mars from all around her. They were blended into the scenery so the scouts never noticed them arriving. There had to be near twenty of them. The odds were no longer in their favor.

Sailor Moon was doing impossible dodges in split seconds trying to keep from getting held down by the five lizards that had surrounded her. Sailor Mercury wasn't so lucky though. The lizards pushed the pipes over her and had her pinned down to the ground, it was the same pipes that were now protecting her as she remained just out of their reach as the dark green claw exposed hands reached toward her.

Jupiter wasn't as bad off as the other scouts as she was on an offensive against the lizards, but they were still between her and her friends stopping her from helping.

Zoicite called out to her youma through the fog, "This fog has become a problem. Do something about it."

"Ahhahahahahaah! A problem is it?" The youma drew a giant fan with her pen. "Well sometimes problems just blow over!" She grabbed the fan by its handle and waved it, a powerful gust of wind blew the fog away along with tipping the lizards and scouts over.

"Now Youma, get rid of another problem! Attack Sailor Moon!"

Sailor Moon jumped to her feet and took off. The lizards at her feet were still trying to get up, but the youma was close on her heels. It was drawing knives in the air that were continuing to be flung at her. "You're quick Sailor Moon but you can't dodge forever! Get the point?!" The Youma laughed out as she sent a particularly large group of knives in Sailor Moon's direction. 

Sailor Jupiter found herself in a large tangle of limbs as the fan the youma used to clear the field of the fog blanketing it blew her and the lizards into a pile. She felt the large scales that made up most of the lizard's armor everywhere. She was swatted hard with a tail, and when she looked up again she found herself pinned down by the five lizards she was fighting. While three of the ones Sailor Moon was up against decided to take advantage of the opportunity of one of the scouts pinned such as she was. A claw raked across her face leaving three bloody traces across her cheek. Another claw she felt rip open her side. Than finally she felt two scaly hands start to choke the life out of her. Sailor Jupiter vision started to blur from loss of blood and air. She felt her eyes start to roll to the back of her head.

The lizards pinning Sailor Mars down were all blown off her when the large fan was waved. She got up quickly. "Mars fire ignite!" She called out toasting two almost on the spot. She narrowed her eyes as two more took their place. She gave a quick look around the battlefield to figure out where they had come from. The Sailor scouts were in trouble. It seems the lizards going after Sailor Moon had split up and came to her and Sailor Jupiter. Or what she could see of her friend all the lizards had piled up around her. That was no good. 

Sailor Mars just barely ducked an incoming tail swipe. "Dammit Rei" she thought to herself, "You can't do anything for them if you're in trouble too! Keep your mind in your fight!" She grabbed the offending tail and threw the lizard it was attached to towards the other lizards. The lizards quickly dodged as their friend flew toward them. It caught one in the middle of a dodge. The three left standing rushed Sailor Mars together. She kicked at one and missed but managed to block the other two striking at her. The one she missed raked its claws across her stomach. She stumbled back one hand clutching her stomach, the other up and ready to block anymore incoming attacks. 

Sailor Mercury was simply caught in the pipes. She had managed to loosen one of the pipes from underneath her and pick it up to use as a weapon against the lizards. Swing the over weight weapon back and forth while stuck underneath the pipes was keeping the lizards at bay, but she was tiring quickly, and the lizards were being patient as their meal tired itself out. "I can't keep this up" she muttered as she caught one upside the head sending it to the ground with a thud.

Dimmer felt a chill run down his spine. The scouts were in danger! There was nothing he could do. The dagger was still trying to absorb the power around him, he could feel it. Without that power at its fullest he wouldn't be able to change to Sundown. The feeling grew. 

"Dammit!" He punched the wall in frustration, and ran out the hospital door. He didn't know what he was going to do. He was still only human, at least Chad had weapons to block against them, he wouldn't even make it on time without the speed he achieved only as Sundown, but he still kept running. He ran with everything he had. Even if it was only after the fight he arrived he had to get there! He had to help in anyway he could! They were "his" friends out there getting hurt. The fate that protected them were gone due to him. Any one of them could die now, and completely screw up the world they lived in. 

Sailor Moon cried out as she valiantly tried to dodge the incoming massive amount of knives. Weeving, jumping, and skidding around as fast as she could, Sailor Moon managed to dodge the entire horde of knives flying her way. She turned to taunt the youma only to see a sharp, steel edge point right between her eyes. She looked up from the blade of the knife to its handle to where a white-loved fist had caught it out of the sir. Than as she continued to run her gaze up the black sleeve to stare at her hero in a top hat who was staring down at her through his white mask.

"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon hugged herself against his arm, "You came!"

Was it her or did a smile just slightly make its self known on the face of her saviour. Well whether it was there or not, it certainly wasn't now as he glared towards the youma. 

The youma laughed. "So you want to go too? Than let's dance ball room boy!" She flung more knives towards her opponents.

Tuxedo Mask brought out his cane and spun it around shielding both him and Sailor Moon from the knives. "Your evil soul betrays you. And despite your bad jokes as you attack you will see soon enough that it is always those who work for good that get the last laugh!" Tuxedo Mask than looked at Sailor Moon who stood behind him still holding his arm. "Come on Sailor Moon, lets heal this poor soul before she causes any more damage."

"Right!" Sailor Moon said suddenly much more determined than she was a few moments ago, "Peggy! Remember your kind heart!" Sailor Moon called out as she brought her moon wand to bare. 

The youma grabbed its head in both its hands and called out in rage. It charged them at break neck speeds. Tuxedo Mask was in the air in a flash pulling out two roses from under his cloak. The youma smashed headlong into the ground after the two roses found their way into its feet tripping it up. The youma screeched, tearing out the two roses from its feet in rage.

"Sailor Moon! Now!" Tuxedo mask called out from up in the air.

"Right! Moon Healing… ESCALATION!"

All at once light poured from her wand, illuminating the area around the youma. The sparkling aura of light surrounded the creature and healed its soul turning it back to an young girl that looked up at the two people that had healed her. She reached out for them, seeing them both in different clothes, the girl in a beautiful white dress and the man with a sword and black tuxedo. She smiled as the overwhelming feeling of goodness given off by the wand brought her into peaceful sleep.

"That's it!" Jupiter yelled out under the grip of the lizard that held her throat. Somehow she found the strength to rip her arm from the grip of one of the lizards, and bat away the grip of the one that had her throat. "Jupiter Supreme Thunder Crash!"

The lightning attack flew straight up in the air blasting through five out of eight of her opponents. She got up stumbling, holding her hand to her side. She stood still only long enough to get her bearings before coming down on the last three lizards writhing on the ground in pain from being in close proximity to her lightning attack.

"Time for a little payback!" she ran and soccer kicked one in the head sending it into one of the beams of the building being constructed. Some of the beams over its head collapsed on top of it. A small pool of greenish tinted blood oozed from underneath. 

After seeing their friend taken out so brutally the other two took off at full speed, but it wasn't quick enough to out run the speed of light. "Jupiter Supreme Thunder Crash!"

Seeing her work as done Jupiter stumbled back to where Sailor Moon and tuxedo mask were taking care of the unconscious painter.

Mars looked like something off of dragon ball as she zipped in and out of the lizard's range. She had stopped hold her stomach for the use of both her hands. She usually never got to take these monsters hand to hand, but that didn't mean she didn't know how to do it. 

"I'll teach you monsters not to mess with Sailor Mars!" She straight kicked one up into the air, and while still balancing it on her heel she brought it back down to the ground with a large stomp. Putting the end of her high hell straight through its throat. The other two rushed but hesitated as they seen what happened to their friend. That hesitation was all Sailor Mars needed. 

"Mars Fire Ignite!"

Mars was about to run over to help Mercury until out of no where the sound of a very powerful engine crashed into the construction yard.

"Huh?"

A tall man on a motorcycle didn't even slow down as he took off toward Sailor Mercury, his trenchcoat flapping in the wind. He skidded straight into one of the lizards holding down the pipes over Sailor Mercury, and reached for the large rifle on his back. He parked the bike on the stunned lizard before he pointed the rifle and shot it in the head at point blank. Seeing this new arrival as an unknown threat the lizards immediately went after him. He weaved underneath their claws with all of the martial arts prowess he knew pounding them with explosive rounds and blowing them out of their range to strike at him. 

"One killed, four left, one… two … three… in front of me, hey wait where's the other one?" 

He dropped his rifle and pulled out his paired uzzi's riddling the one sneaking up behind him with bullet holes. Unfortunately for him it left him wide open to the other three now at his back. They attacked, but unfortunately for them, they all forgot about the, no longer trapped, Sailor Mercury who was still wielding her pipe. 

Mercury knocked the entire pile of pipes towards the feet of the lizards attacked her rescuer, making them all trip over their now broken feet. 

Seeing this Daybreak turned around and whiffed a grenade at the stricken lizards, and jumped over to pull Sailor Mercury underneath him. The Lizards were turned into bits and bites. The scouts all looked to their newest helper. Tuxedo Mask looked toward the rifle he strapped back onto his back. 

"The sniper Sundown had with him." Suddenly he was very glad that Sundown and him had come to some form of a truce that day.

"Chad?!" Sailor Mars whispered, "What are you doing here?"

"Shhh! I'm not Chad!" He said in an overly manly voice while putting on his yellow tinted sunglasses, "My name is Daybreak".

Sailor Moon just giggled, "Well than "Daybreak" thanks for the help.

"Not a problem gnarly gi…uuuh Sailor Scouts."

"Chad stop the sherade! What are you doing here, it's too dangerous for you!" Mars was whispering harshly, trying to stop from balling him out.

"This coming from a girl who is bleeding profusely from her stomach" he pointed out nonchalantly, "Sundown said you needed help so his faithful sidekick, Daybreak was happy to lend a hand."

"Now's not the time for this girls." Tuxedo mask said very wary of the blonde Negaverse general walking towards the with two very big rock soldiers not unlike the one that had beaten Mars to a pulp not too long ago. Both wielded huge war hammers.

Zoicite smirked at the scouts. "Don't think you've won yet scouts. You and your friends are about to pay the ultimate price for daring to take on the glorious Negaverse.

Sailor Moon: 

Oh no! The Negaverse ambushed our ambush! We're already tired and hurt, yet Zoicite said there's more to come, will the Sailor Scouts be able to deal with this new threat?

Today on Sailor moon all of us are in some deep trouble, but were not going to give up! We count on each other, and we know we can make it. It can be like that for you too, but if you give up you lose any chance you had! Never give up and keep on trying! Sailor Moon says!" Sailor Moon giggled.

Once again the v.c.r. clicked. Signaling that the tape had stopped recording.

Mike was now crowded into his room, surrounded by people who stood in shock and surprise. Police on the case had been looking for the lost person for months and this was their first clue of his whereabouts. His parents were crying, wondering how their boy had made it to Japan. Friends and relatives were all talking amidst themselves. Not one questioned if it were a coincidence. Not one thought it could be a mistake. There was no question about it. Their downtrodden Dimmer was on Sailor Moon.


	16. A Time to Cast Away Stones

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

Zoicite smirked at the scouts. "Don't think you've won yet scouts. You and your friends are about to pay the ultimate price for daring to take on the glorious Negaverse. Braxx, Grydge, attack."

The two rock soldiers grunted and charged the scouts with a deafening sound as their feet made large craters in the ground from so much weight moving so quickly. They reminded someone of an oncoming train.

Tuxedo Mask realized that two of the scouts were seriously injured and they now had an unconscious girl to protect. "So this was their tactic… wait until they had healed the girl for a full head on attack. That way the girl would limit our options to strike. Brilliant! Sailor Moon, your Tiara!"

"No good Tuxedo mask! These guys just fend it off with the hammers and than the hammer regenerates."

"But without their hammers they're pussy cats" Sailor Mars called out.

"That's all I needed to hear," Daybreak grabbed the rifle on his back and turned it to grenade launcher mode. "Sailor Moon whenever the hammers are broken get ready with that tiara thing monkey boy over there was talking about." 

At that the two guys attacked the rock men charging toward them.

It was than to everyone's horror Zoicite called out, " Ha! You didn't think I'd make it that easy for you did you? Scytherslash, now!" 

A demon like creature emerged from the shadows to face the girls from behind. Its sickening greenish color, was almost as gruesome as its over extended bottom jaw that was lined with row after row of razor sharp teeth. It walked on two legs, and it had two arms looking much like it had a human looking skeletal system, its arms were crossed over its chest with large swords extended from each. It's over extended jaw made it always look like it wore a very maniacal grin. It attacked. 

It went straight for Sailor Moon who was trying to keep somewhat attention on the fighting between Tuxedo Mask and Daybreak with the rock monsters. With this distraction she didn't stand a chance. It moved with a speed of the shadows themselves.

One strike turned into three to four to six. All just bare misses grazing her skin leaving small trickles of blood on several parts of her legs, and arms. One trimming her hair. Despite their wounds Jupiter and Mars jumped into the battle for Sailor Moon's life. Mercury was trying to assess the situation. Lacking any magical attacks she was forced to look to the area around and try to come up with some sort of quick plan. She saw the pipes that the dead lizards tripped on. "It's obvious its focus is speed" she thought frantically, "we need to slow it down, maybe with those pipes?"

Mercury finally jumped into the battle against the newest youma, supplying not much more than a distraction and a new target. The scouts all received grazing blows one after another. Despite the four people on it, it was still on the offensive, not giving any time for strikes back against it. 

Mars came in with an uppercut, and nearly got her hand chopped off, than she came in with a leg sweep and nearly lost her leg. "This is ridiculous!" She thought panic stricken, "We're getting no where! All were doing now is tiring ourselves out." Mercury wasn't that much of a fighter, but her agility was equal to that of most of the other scouts. She spent her time mostly dodging, but when she was close enough she whispered her plan to Mars. Mars assumed she had done the same to Sailor Moon and Jupiter. She had to admit, it might work long enough to back off and get some ranged attacks in. They were trying to lead the battle over that way, but with it always on the offensive, it was herding them to where it wanted to go. The tide never seemed to shift. The thing was quite literally a tornado of attacks.

He ran. He ran as hard as he could. The exhaustion was ignored and all that mattered was to continue sprinting at a speed he was no longer sure of. The scenery blurred around him as he closed his eyes to try to exert himself more. To bring himself to his limits, to bring himself beyond them. He rocketed through the sidewalks knocking over whatever unfortunate newspaper stand, or person that stood in the way. The only thing he acknowledged was the feeling of the scouts in trouble. Hurt, because of "his" breaking of fate, because "he" couldn't protect them. The feeling grew until there was only that feeling, the vague awareness of building corners, people, and a few things in his path that might dare to try to slow him down, and the running.

"At last," he closed in on the construction yard. He didn't notice Tuxedo Mask mocking the rock creatures into anger, and into predictable attacks. He didn't notice Daybreak duct taping some kind of explosive to one of the distracted creature's back and jumping away. All he saw was the creature attacking his friends. His friend's blood dripping down their arms and soaking through their clothing. The above lamp keeping the area well lit was hit by some of the shrapnel from an exploding rock creature, turning off over Dimmer. 

He snapped.

With some kind of roar bread from an instinct to kill, and to protect. He ran at the creature.

Mars felt the sting of dark cursed steel slash against her face. Than a gust of wind went past. She blocked her eyes from the dust storm that suddenly sprayed the surrounding area. When she could finally see what was happening it was, needless to say, hard to believe. Dimmer's fists rang out like gunshots against the flats of the thing's bladed hands. Blow for blow, strike for strike. Dimmer obviously didn't notice the blood pouring out from his newly acquired injuries. 

"Something's wrong! He can't move that fast! No human could inflict enough damage with their fists to make a Negaverse creature flinch, let alone beat it to a pulp.

Suddenly a black aura began to form around Dimmer. The black tendrils of energy gathered around his face, his head snapped back hard as if it were suddenly yanked back so hard it looked like whatever had caused it had broke his neck. A muffled scream of pain came from Dimmer, as a black scarf seemed to form and strangle him. His eyes dilated into 1/8 of their original size as a look of agony washed over him. His denim covering literally seemed to explode off of him, leaving his skin clad in black energy, surrounding him and turning into black leather gloves, and trenchcoat, a dress shirt, and leather pants. He stood up and drew a circle in the air, a blue outline of light followed his finger. Than as if balancing on his finger the blue light started spinning. Some how it turned into a wide brimmed cowboy hat that he placed on his head. Dimmer had transformed. Nightfall had come, and Sundown had finally arrived.

The strange creature looked at this new challenge to its being. The girls it could've took on easily, but this new creature ignored the pain inflicted upon it. Every strike it used Scytherslash could feel its bones popping and breaking. All this new creature seemed to care about was the kill it wanted. If it could've frowned it might have than. It had a killer instinct meant to destroy whatever it considered its prey. The Scytherslash too, had this primal urge, but it wasn't as in tuned with it as this creature was. If this was the first fight it had against such a creature as this it would almost definitely lose, but Scytherslash had survived in the dark ages of the lower dimensional nightmare planes. Many creatures had it fought down there. Against this type of creature, only one tactic could be used. Though they do not suffer from pain they still suffer the effects of blood loss, and injury. It had to attack the creatures limbs to survive this battle. The Scytherslash's eyes gleamed with delight, and it attacked the now black-clothed quarry.

Sundown looked toward his oncoming enemy. It would be destroyed. He took it at ramming speed. He slammed his fists into its chest to feel its ribcage break apart. It took the blow willingly!

The creature brought its bladed arms up into Sundown's shoulders. Sundown backed off than went back for more, trying for another deathblow. This time he went for its temples, but his movements were slow as the wounds to his arms prevented his normal reflexes from taking effect. The creature than took to Sundown's knees, slicing them both in a single stroke. Sundown fell unto what was left of his knees looking up to see the creature standing triumphantly above him its swords doing a scissors technique meaning to decapitate him.

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" The area around the creature was suddenly covered in fog. It looked about in surprise, and when it looked back down, its victim was gone. It screamed out in rage, being robbed from its kill.

"Mars Fire Ignite!" 

The creature burst into flames and flew into the pile of pipes. 

"Jupiteeeerrrrrr…." It looked behind itself to see the green scout charging her thunder attack. It quickly got to its feet, and charged the young girl. It stepped on one of the pipes and slipped backwards. Before it even could land on its butt Jupiter finished her attack.

"Supreme Thunder Crash!"

It was blasted out of the area smacking against a rock soldier that hardly noticed its existence. It turned to see what had hit it, it shrugged as it stepped on the Scytherslash's head with a sickening crunch, as it turned back to face the man with the black cape. It looked to its fellow soldier. It wasn't sure just what had caused the blast that destroyed the majority of its friends upper half, but that was war. His friend still stood. It only had one arm and its hammer, and ¼ of its head the rest looked like some one mistaked him for a cookie and took a big bite. 

"Zoicite. I believe now would be a good time to retreat with the crystal."

"What happened Talenite? Everything was perfect!"

"We were taken by surprise and ambushed my general. Also it seems we have misjudged the prowess of the scouts. I expected the lizards to be more than enough to take them on. Also This new ally of their's Daybreak was unknown to us at the time of making the plan. Many surprises came into play today General, but none in our favor. Let us go back, Queen Beryl will be pleased to have another crystal, and we have gathered much information for the next attack. I will begin summoning more creatures from the Lower Dimensional Planes as soon as possible."

"Very well." Zoicite looked pleased. Despite the way of the battle, they managed to land the first real punches against the Sailor Scouts on this night. "Continue to play to your hearts content scouts, Death awaits you all the next time we meet." At that Zoicite teleported away laughing, with Talenite following not far behind.

"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask called out whipping in and around the rock soldier, leaving it no time to swing at him. He looked over to see Daybreak going too slow to avoid the fast reflex of the one armed rock man still trying to pound them. He dodged around its legs, grabbed Daybreak and jumped to the roof of the supervisor's trailer.

Sailor Moon had already flung her tiara at the still fully formed soldier. It screamed out in pain before turning into moon dust. It was carried away by a strong wind that decided it wanted some company with it as it traveled the world. 

The 2/3 of a live rock soldier roared on in rage trying to get up to where the man in black cape had stolen its victim. Dropping its hammer with its one arm it punched a hole through the wall of the supervisor's trailer. It tore the wall out, leaving a view of the supervisor hiding his head underneath his bed with his blue nightshirt, and red heart spotted boxer shorts. He looked up to see the deformed rock monster, screamed and managed to squeeze the rest of himself under the bed.

The Rock man threw the wall at the two on top of the trailer. Tuxedo Mask just gathered up Daybreak again and jumped away. While being carried, Daybreak pulled out one of his pistols and shot. The creature screeched in pain as Daybreak managed to shoot out the only eye it had left. 

"Moon Tiara Magic!" The group watched as the final enemy of that night dissolved into something you could clean up with a broom and dustpan. The four that escaped any major injuries, Daybreak, Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon, and Sailor Mercury helped the others to their feet. Sailor Moon helped Sailor Jupiter onto her feet. Jupiter smiled in thanks.

Tuxedo Mask, in an amazing display of caring simply by sticking around to help out, lifted Mars to her feet. She looked up to see her crush holding her in his arms. He smiled at her from under his mask. She looked closely. It was a nice smile, but she realized, that it wasn't the one she was hoping to see. She remembered the sad, happy smile from Greg's face, yet from someone different. From a man named Valor. 

She looked over to Dimmer. Dimmer is exactly who he was at this point. Somewhere throughout the whole time he had changed back to the kind, strange, denim-wearing boy. She watched as his face crinkled up at his surroundings. The dead lay everywhere. Crushed by beams, turned to dust, burnt and rotting. There was no smile there. Only shadows covered that face as he continued to kneel on bruised knees. Bruises were all that was left of the same kneecaps were cut off on Sundown. He made a sound. It was not a pleasant one. His breathing became haggard, than he threw up. It just kept coming for the next five minutes. The blood on his jeans due to the puddle of blood that he as Sundown left there only moments before. The blood covering some of his best friends, the blood pooling together from many of the dead corpses surrounding the area, the stench of burnt flesh that crept up his nose. 

The pain, the loss of life, the horrible feeling of vengeance achieved, it was all so sickening. He could feel tears start to well up in his eyes. He wasn't too worried. He wouldn't cry, he never did. This was as close as he had come in what? 6? 7 years? His body heaved as his puke mixed in with the blood at his knees. 

When he was through Daybreak picked up his friend and looked around for himself. Twenty lizards, two rock men and some type of sword wielding thing with a crushed skull lie dead. Police sirens could be heard in the distance. It had been a hard night for everyone. It was time to go home.

Chad took off his coat and glasses and pistols, etc. tucking them into the back of the bike. (He took apart the rifle) 

"You feeling alright now Dimmer?" He asked while getting on the bike. Dimmer followed suit getting on behind him. 

"Yeah, Chad I'll be fine."

"Yeah, that was definitely gruesome!" Chad was laughing.

"Couldn't agree more," Dimmer mumbled behind him as they took off into the setting sun towards the temple.

That night at the temple.

Dimmer looked at the clock its blue glow illuminating the small area around it. 

"2:00 am." He sighed. It didn't look like he would get much sleep tonight either. So he got up and picked up his favorite jeans, shirt, jacket, and backpack. 

He snuck into Chad's room to see his friend peacefully sleeping. He grabbed his keys and walked down the hall. Rei had left her door partially open again. He wondered if that meant she was gone to a meeting with her friends. He checked inside to see her sleeping soundly. He turned to leave. "Seems everyone's able to sleep tonight, 'cept me," He thought to himself silently. He turned back to Rei watching her stomach as she breathed in and out. 

"That same stomach was nearly gutted today," He thought to himself. "Glad you're alright Rei." He whispered. He nodded to himself than left sliding the door shut silently. 

He walked out to the bike, taking it out from under its tarp. He got on started the engine and took off toward the red light district.

Rei lie in bed silently. She was having trouble sleeping when she heard the door to her room open a bit and a presence slip in. It wasn't hard to feel Dimmer's aura now. It was familiar to her. They hadn't been able to speak after they departed from the construction site. The girls had seen to the painter while Dimmer had gone to the police station to tell Pidge and John what had occurred. 

She wondered what he wanted, so she feigned sleep waiting for him to wake her up. Instead she felt him turn to leave. She was a little disappointed. It would have been the first time Dimmer had started a conversation since he had gotten his memory back. She wondered what it was in his past that stopped him from spilling it. 

She felt him come back to lean over her. She suddenly thought that feigning sleep might not have been such a good idea anymore. 

"Glad to see you're alright Rei."

She sighed inwardly. He was just checking to see if she was alright. She heard her door close and unconsciously put one hand over her stomach feeling the scar there. It would disappear in a day or so, like the last ones she was sure, but she forgot the last time Dimmer had seen her was when Tuxedo Mask helping her walk. She wondered what Dimmer was doing. Was he going to train some more? She decided to get out of bed to berate him. They had to talk about stuff anyway. This whole business of Sundown and Valor still had to be cleared up. She got up to see Dimmer with his backpack, out the window, taking off down the street on the Harley he and Chad went splits on. 

"He's leaving." She said quietly. She blinked. "He's leaving!" She grabbed her coat and ran out the door and out onto the street to see the motorcycle nearly out of view. Their was a taxi with the off duty sign parked across the street. 

The cabby was eating a sandwich when the raven-haired girl jumped into the backseat. 

"After that car!"

"Hey girl can't you read the…" He had turned to stare straight into the eyes of a glaring Rei.

Dimmer took a right off the express way, now heading toward the Tokyo Tower. He parked the bike for a minute just to look up at the great heights of it. He got a little dizzy thinking he had fallen from it. Truthfully it wasn't a memory he wanted to revisit.

"More pain. More Blood. I don't wanna think about it." He got back onto the road taking off toward a garden park he had seen earlier. He didn't notice the cab following behind.

Rei paid the cabby who took off as soon as she let him. She walked into the garden after Dimmer had entered. She was getting tired. It was easily 6:00 am. Now. She had to pay the cab a bundle. Dimmer had driven aimlessly for a long time before stopping and was hard to keep track of. She had to let the cabby go than, she didn't have hardly another cent to spare. She wondered again why she had decided to try to follow Dimmer. It was obvious he wasn't leaving as she first thought. He had left a lot of stuff behind, but she continued to follow behind anyway.

Dimmer had walked to the very edge of the park and jumped up into a tree over looking the harbor. He sat on the branch watching the sky start to lighten. It wouldn't be a great sunrise. The sky was dark gray and covered with clouds. It was pure dismal. Yet he sat there breathing in the salt air, smiling in the soft breeze letting it blow back the bangs from his face. He was happy, in a sort of blissful state. He didn't realize how much he missed the salt sea air from his atlantic home.

His home. Here he was half a world and dimensions away from of it. He missed his island. He wished he could just see it. To say goodbye. He shook his head. Here he had a home too though. Rei, Chad, Sensai, friends, these things made up his home now. The Cape Breton he knew, he had left behind in yesterday. Tomorrow was a new day in a new home in a world he always wanted to visit. Cape Breton was still in his memories, and there it would remain forever.

Slowly softly he sang

How do I 

say good bye

To what we had?

The good times 

that made us laugh

Are way behind

I thought we'd get to see forever 

But forever is gone away

It's so hard to say good bye to yesterday

I don't know 

where this road 

is going to lead

All I know

is where we've been 

and what we've been through

If we get to see tomorrow

I hope it's worth all the wait

It's so hard to say good bye to yesterday

Dimmer smiled cheerfully. In a much happier tone than the rest he stared up at the sky he finished.

And I'll take with me the memories

To be my sunshine after the rain

It's so hard to say good bye to yesterday

And I'll take with me the memories 

To be my sunshine after the rain

It's so hard to say good bye to yesterday.

Rei looked on in wonder at a smile that didn't take her more than a second to recognise. No wonder it seemed so familiar. It was in her face day after day. Lately though it had lost the happiness that made it the same one that was on Greg's face as Valor spoke. Dimmer faked happiness so much since he regained his memory, but here all the feelings he kept hidden had come out. She could see a wet line trail down his cheek, as he stared up at a dark gray sky. Rei wished she could do something. Something to make everything alright. She wasn't sure why she understood the words of the song. It was english, but she understood without even thinking about it. Dimmer was homesick, and giving up on seeing it again. 

She climbed the tree bringing herself to the same branch Dimmer was on.

"REI!?"

"Shh. Quiet down, Dimmer." She managed to squeeze in beside him.

"Rei? What are you doing here?" He said trying to move the bangs of his hair that had fallen back down in his eyes. due to Rei blocking the breeze.

"What do you think?" She huffed sticking her nose up in the opposite direction of him, still peering over through the corners of her eyes. "You sneak into my room unannounced, leave my door wide open, take off in the middle of the night, drive for hours and come here all by yourself?"

Dimmer sweat dropped while scratching the tip of his head, "I thought I closed your door…"

"A ha! I knew you went into my room! Hentai!"

"No! … I mean.. I … uh.. aw crap." Dimmer scrunched close his eyes waiting for the blow that he knew was coming. Instead of the punch he thought was coming though, all she did was flick him in the nose while he had his eyes closed while trying not to laugh.

"Hey!"

"Relax Dimmer. I was awake. I heard you, you were just checking up on me. Now here let me see this."

"Agh! No! not the hair! Anything but the hair!" He wimpered.

"Oh, stop being such a sook and hold still."

Dimmer sat there with a horrified look as Rei braided his bangs. 

"Here hold this for a second." Dimmer gave her a flat look. 

"Hold it!" She picked up his hand planted the braid into it than started digging through her purse. "Now where are they I know they were.. Aha!"

She held out two gold colored hair clasps. She started at his hair again. "Dimmer?"

"Dimmer looked from his hair to her and back to his hair again and wimpered. 

Rei giggled, "Dimmer, really. Just let me finish this, I've been wanting to try it. Now listen to me."

He looked up.

"Now, I don't know about your past, you won't tell me., but I don't want you to do something like this again."

Dimmer looked at her as if to ask something like "what?"

Rei sighed. "It's not THAT confusing Dimmer. I don't want you sneaking away at night like this. I got up to see you taking of on that damn bike of yours and Chads. I got worried and followed you out here."

"Huh?' Dimmer was confused. He would do this all the time back at home. No one had ever cared. They asked why a couple times, but no one ever told him not to go.

"Dimmer, I haven't known you for very long. And only for about half a week have I known you when you could even remember your name. But I do know this. You don't want to be alone. You never do. Your bench was surrounded by people night and day, You're consttantly working with people with all your jobs. I don't think you can sleep, half the time because you're in your own room."

Dimmer stared at Rei. She was right. The life he lived here was the opposite of the one he lived on Cape Breton. He was always happy and cheerful here, surrounded by friends. There he was scorned, and dismissed. People would wonder about him, but no one ever cared enough to go and see for themselves. No one would ever come to get him, to simply bring him back. His friends mostly thought of it as a quirk and left it at that. They knew he went up there to think, and simply let him.

"Dimmer, I thought you had left us. You're part of our family now okay? So don't go running off without telling anybody. Okay?"

"Okay Rei." Dimmer was simply staring in awe at her as she finished up with his hair, "I promise Rei. I promise never to go off without telling you."

In moments she had finished braiding up his bangs on both sides.

"Good. There, now they won't get in you're eyes."

Dimmer leaned his head forward to get a better look. There the two gold colored hair clasps hung weighing down the normally free to roam bangs, that would go wherever they wanted for what ever reason. Now they were tied down, for the better good. "All simply because of those hairclasps," He thought as he turned to look at Rei who had leaned on his shoulder and fallen asleep from the long night.

He looked up at the dark gray clouds in the sky that were now pinkening from the sunrise. He thought about the future. And for the first time in a while he thought about it optimistically. "Maybe…" he whispered as the sun's light managed to break through the clouds sparkling brightly over the water, "Just maybe…."

Saailor Moon: "Wow we really did it! Thanks to the help of a few friends!" *shows clips of Tuxedo mask holding the knife hurled at Sailor Moon.

Clip of Daybreak showing up on Harley

Clip of Dimmer fighting Scytherslash*

"Thanks a lot guys!"

"Today Dimmer was feeling a little homesick, but can you blame him? He came from a completely different dimension! His family and friends are so far away! But we are his friends too aren't we Rei?"

*shows clip of Rei smiling as she braided his bangs*

"Sometimes its hard to be so far away, but no matter where you go you'll always have friends and family that care for you at home. So keep smiling"

"Sailor Moon says!" She giggled.

Reality:

DiC entertainment was getting calls from all over. What were they doing to the Sailor Moon show every one watched and loved?! Jamie at the head office had his hands full. What the hell was going on? The writers and artists all sit stunned as their show took off without them at the wheel. It was getting paid for doing nothing, but they couldn't figure out what was going on. Was someone pirating all airtimes of Sailor Moon and putting their own version in the time slot? Impossible they had made schedule changes every day for a week. Not to mention the years of work that would have to be done just to animate this. Sailor Moon had become brutal and violent, it was now rated 13 and over and the censors were arguing over making it higher. 

"All this and now the police." Jamie sighed. The police had just gotten off the phone with him, the Dimmer in the show that was flying out of control happened to ressemble an anime freak from Cape Breton that went missing awhile back without a trace other than it looked like a tornado hit their living room that is. Just like the show…. It almost made him wonder. Yet such things were impossible…

"Great now the police think I'm insane. They can see for themselves for all I care." He wondered just how he was going to get through all this…

Endnotes: Hahaahaahaah! I've updated again. I've been having a few problems with my uploading so please don't kill me just tell me where mistakes are and I'll have 'em all fixed up. I also noted that my last chapter had all kinds of spelling errors and crap, so I changed it and fixed it all up too. My apologies to one of my readers "himitstu-no-hi" gomen! A thousand times over gomen! I forgot she had reviewed this fic… I've been offline for almost 2 weeks and my brain cells are starting to die off. Ugh.

Review me? Pleeze? :D 


	17. A Time to Say

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

I've disincluded this being my first fic in the warning on the account of uploading 15 chapters before this. I think I can officially say I'm getting better at this. What do you think? ^^V (ß peace sign) 

Later that morning:

"Wax the floors, sweep the stairs, and get to your morning training session my boy. Don't forget you got work to day!"

"Yes Sensai!" 

Quick shot of Dimmer running at top speeds with rags along the floor.

Another quick shot of the extremely long stairway to the road and Dimmer sighing and starting on the first step with a broom.

Shot of Chad kicking Dimmer in the jaw.

Shot of Dimmer sprinting to work beside Serena.

"Sorry I'm late Ms. Grant!" Dimmer called as he skidded to a stop inside the classroom. 

"Same old Dimmer. That's fine. Have your injuries healed well?"

"Hai." He smiled.

"Don't start that again. The kids are out to recess, so you can help me clean up for now." 

"Hai." He said happily getting back to work. He really was getting to miss these kids. 

It wasn't long before the bell rang.

Shot of Dimmer drowning in children happy to see him after his little vacation. 

Shot of Dimmer chasing after a kid with part of Dimmer's lunch in his mouth.

Shot of Dimmer running from herd of children, with the rest of Dimmer's lunch in his own mouth.

Shot of Dimmer putting a band aid on the knee of crying little girl.

"See you Wednesday Ms. Grant!"

"Thanks for the help Dimmer. Bye."

Shot of Dimmer sprinting toward coffee shop.

Shot of Dimmer chatting with Pidge and John.

Shot of Dimmer sprinting to a video shop that looks much better than the last time he came by.

"Good 'aye b'y!"

"Eh? Ah Dimmer m'b'y 'erd ya 'ad a bit 'o a fall."

"Yeeeeas, b'y, Yeeas, but cha know me, ain't notin keepin' me down fer very long."

"Well ya picked a good day to show up b'y. A new order come in t'day. Hope yer back's healthy." He laughed before going back to hammering up a new movie rack.

Shot of Dimmer carryin huge, swaying wildly, pile of wood.

Shot of 6 different types of game paddles and Dimmer blowing on the blisters on his thumbs.

Shot of a dropped hammer and Dimmer's thumb big and red.

Shot of Dimmer waving good bye to a laughing Kintaro.

Rei yawned. She looked at Dimmer who looked tired as usual as he walked through the door and leaned up against the wall.

"Hi Dimmer," She said cheerfully, "What have you been up to?" Dimmer looked at her while still trying to catch his breath. He took one deep breath and

Cut scene. Dimmer gestures and explanation of daily activities is given.

"… and I just got back from that, how about you?"

"Oh well… uuh I skipped school and just got up."

Shot of Dimmer falling over.

Dimmer gets up looking rather frazzled. "So what are you doing now than Rei?"

"Actually," She whispered, "I just got a call from Luna on my communicator. We're going to have a meeting. Think you could pull Chad away from his gutair long enough to join us?"

"Don't think it'd be a problem with, to use Chad's words, those gnarly chicks in mini skirts, being there."

Crack

"Ow! Hey!" Dimmer laughed as he dodged the next strike. Than again, again and again.

Rei was just playing at first, but anger started to show up in her eyes. Valor or not, he couldn't be better than the scouts. He just couldn't be. But no matter how quick she was or how many times she tried she just couldn't seem to hit him. Before very long she was out of breath, and Dimmer was wondering if she was okay.

"How?"

"Uuh… could you explain that question a little?"

"How are you so damned fast?" She struck again, this time he caught her fist easily. 

"Training."

"Is that what makes Sundown more powerful than us too?"

"Maybe Rei. I believe becoming Sundown or using our transformations just multiplies our normal abilities."

"So if we started training with you…"

"You transformations mgiht get better? Maybe. Yours is a little different than mine."

"Yeah about that Dimmer." Rei said, remembering the muffled scream of pain Dimmer mad while transforming the other night. "Does it hurt to become Sundown?"

"Uuuh… I'm not going to stop transforming Rei. You guys need me. I can handle my Sundown transforming, don't worry about it alright?"

"No! It's not alright. Dimmer you didn't answer my question." The anger was showing up in her eyes again.

"Yes Rei!" he shouted, "Of course it hurts. Sundown uses dark magic that rips through every nerve of my body, but it doesn't matter!"

"Of course it matters!" Rei shouted back at him, "I can't let you fight when it hurts you so much when you do! How can something like that not matter?!"

"Because its nothing compared to the pain if I lost one of you!" Dimmer shut up immdieately. He said too much. He didn't like expressing too much emotion. Anger he could live with, but showing any signs of true companionship like he just hinted at, was too much, too quick for his liking. Such things should take time, usually for Dimmer, years. The hallway was deafly quiet as Rei stopped to process this.

In the end she smiled. "Dimmer? Can you promise this to me than? That you won't transform unless completely necessary?"

Dimmer sighed, glad she didn't delve into his last statement too much. "Alright Rei, that sounds reasonable enough. But you seen what they put you up against last night. What makes you think you can face something like that by yourselves?"

"You already gave me the answer to that."

"And that is?"

In the Scout Meeting

"Training in martial arts?" Serena queried.

"Mm hmm. Chad, Dimmer, and I are going to start a self defense course here. These two guys here, have advanced enough to help teach. That way grandpa won't find anything suspicious about it.

"Wow. Are you sure about this Rei? I mean… well… I'm a little… clutzy" Serena was looking the other way.

"That the only thing stopping you Serena? With the speed you have? You shoulda been training long ago. That's like not plaing hockey 'cause ya don't know how to skate. That's why people teach it. You can fight just as well as anyone Serena, with a little dedication."

"You really think so Dimmer?"

"Of course I do. Wouldn't have said so if I didn't. Amy could figure out moves and start to see them coming ahead of time. Lita, you're just a natural. I'm kinda surprised you hadn't taking any before this."

"I have taken a bit, do we really need the training that bad?" Lita asked smiling at Dimmer's compliment.

Amy answered for them. "Yes, I'm afraid we do. I'm afraid I was at a loss last night against those lizards, and had that Youma or Monster had of been concentrating on me, I wouldn't have survived."

"Yes, but we still got past them didn't we? Tuxedo mask helped us against the rock guys, and the youma. Dimmer, with your help we defeated the monster, and you weren't even Sundown for a good part of it. And Daybreak over there helped you out of that spot Amy, and against the rock guys."

"Serena!" Rei slammed her fist against the floor they were sitting on. "I do NOT want to have to depend on others to show up everytime. We have to learn to fiight as a team and still be able to stand up for ourselves as well. I want to be able to look up to Tuxedo Mask, Sundown, or Daybreak here, and say "Sorry guys you're late, we already took care of things here." And what if Tuxedo Mask turns against us like he threatened?"

"Tuxedo Mask will never betray us!"

The girls were making more sparks from each others stares than Sailor Jupiter's thunder attack.

"You're both right." came Chad's voice who hadn't said anything yet, as he sat and took everything in.

"Huh?" Both Serena and Rei looked to him. 

"Rei, you're right. You girls need to defend yourselves better. Both Rei and Lita here came back with massive wounds that would have killed normal people. Serena, had Tuxedo Mask been a moment later, you would have a knife buried in your face. Even Sailor Scouts can die from that."

Rei stuck her tongue out at Serena.

"Serena you're right too. Rei you can't do all this by yourselves no matter how good you get. What was the kill count yesterday? 23 or 24? And the main enemy got away? Those aren't good odds for anyone."

"He's right Rei, we need all the help we can get. In fact I 've wanted to tell you girls, I ordered help from master control last night. Sailor Venus has been found. They're heading here immdiately." Luna looked up from the bowl of cream Dimmer had gotten her.

"Sailor Venus? As in the famous Sailor V?!" Serena cheered, "Do you think she's the Moon Princess?"

Dimmer suddenly burst out laughing.

"What? What is it? What did I say?"

"Nothing SERENA. Nothing at all. Do you really think she's the MOON PRINCESS SERENA?" Dimmer said between laughing at the joke he knew very well that only he would get in that room.

"Uuh, I guess…"

"Hey," Chad piped up "Just how many sailor scouts are there anyway? One for each planet? Pluto? Saturn? Uranus?

Dimmer broke out laughing again, especially about the thought of a Sailor Uranus. Amy, being the only one who spoke english grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face into the floor without even looking in his direction.

"Owie."

"We didn't even get the most important thing, the crystal last night," Luna tried to get back on topic. 

"Umm actually. Since we never got a chance to really talk last night." Rei took the crystal piece out of her pocket and placed it before the scouts. "I wasn't able to tell you about this." She smiled.

"Oh wow Rei! But when and how?" Serena was ecstatic.

"Simple, when I went after Zoicite last night. I pulled it out of her pocket before her fire blast went off."

"Well done Rei!" Luna called out.

"Yeah way to go!"

"A terrifc plan Rei."

"What is this thing?" Chad picked up the crystal 

Luna sighed. " Chad, that is a piece of the Silver Emperium Crystal. We have to find it, to help us find the Moon Princess. 

"And she is?"

"The one who can stop all this." Dimmer answered for her.

"Yes, Dimmer that is correct. We have to find her at all costs." 

"Serena. I don't want to be some one to tell you not to trust in others, its your strange abounding trust that I love about you, but you still must be careful." 

Dimmer was a little unsettled to let the future be known, but fate was already broken. Maybe if they defeated Beryl the same way was the only thing that would fix this back enough for fate to play its part. Maybe there would be a little less pain in the future, or maybe they could work it to there own advantage. This would be a test. If he was completely outside of fate maybe he couldn't truly alter it. That's what he hoped anyway. That little thing last night of Serena not being where she was supposed to be doesn't mean anything to the main storyline of things, but this would be the ultimate change.

"What do you mean Dimmer? You're so serious all of a sudden."

"Serena I have seen your future. Tuxedo Mask's mind is taken control of by the Negaverse."

"What?" All the Sailor Scouts gasped.

"Trust me it happens."

"No!"

"Serena…"

"No! I can't believe it! Tuxedo Mask couldn't betray us!

"I didn't say he did. I said he will be controlled. Meaning against his own will, also meaning we'll be out one very powerful ally."

Serena looked down. "Prove it."

"Huh?"

"Prove it. If you know my future, tell me something only I would know about! Prove it!"

Dimmer sat and thought.

"Ha! I knew it!" Serena was in tears, but her eyes quickly went wide after hearing him hum a little tune.

"Recognise that that Serena?" Dimmer was humming the theme song to Sailor Moon, which just also happened to be the same tune of the star locket that Tuxedo Mask had dropped back not long after Nephrite died. 

Dimmer couldn't have known about that.Only Luna knew about that. She looked to her cat. Luna looked just as dumbfounded as Serena.

"Really Serena, you should at least try to return things that don't belong to you. especially something as valuable as the locket you seen in that painter's picture yesterday."

That did it. Serena slumped to the ground while everyone looked at her curiously. She took out the locket from her purse and opened it. It would play for no one else but her and Tuxedo Mask. Dimmer could never have known. It played the song and the others just stared at it, to Dimmer, and back to the star locket.

"Is there any way we can help him?"

"I'm not sure Serena. Before I arrived he would be controlled, you would save him. Sailor Venus or Mina would arrive much later than what Luna has said here, your friends would help you to defeat the Negaverse generals and than Beryl. Chad sucked at gutair and martial arts. He would never know your identities. This was fate."

"Hey!" Chad's feelings about fate came to an abrupt change.

"Now things are very different. There was no Talenite helping out the Negaverse in the future I've seen. I've arrived. You only had to deal with the youma's before, now all these other monsters are popping out of the wood work too. Who knows what new things may happen? We could use my knowledge to an advantage though. My transformations are very painful Serena. That is why Rei here wants you to learn to fight without me, and Tuxedo Mask. Also Daybreak doesn't have the magical protection against their blows the way we do. One strike and he's down for the count. You must become more powerful than you should normally be, to fight off these threats. Beryl must be destroyed… and then… and then…"

"Then what Dimmer?"

Dimmer sighed. "Then none of you can ever remember your acomplishments. You must live like ordinary girls. Somehow you're memories must be taken away. I don't exactly know how it happens, I just know it happens."

The girls all looked down at this. All the things they were going through to save the world and no one would remember what they had done. Not even themselves. It was a depressing thought.

"Valor" Rei looked to Dimmer.

"What does he have to do with this?" 

"He has that power to erase memories. He did it to Amy."

Dimmer thought for a second. "Of course, didn't he mention he was trying to save fate?"

"No Sundown said he'd destroy it. Valor seems to be his enemy though. Saving it might be what he wants."

"How can we know if we put fate back on course than?" Lita asked trying to keep up with the conversation."

Everyone stoped to think.

"Greg." Amy stated suddenly. 

"Of course!" Lita said ecstatically. "Who better to tell us if fate is back on course than the one who told us it was off course to begin with?"

"And Greg is?"

"The guy whose arm you stuck your sword through, and is still waiting at the hosptial before they let him leave." Amy scolded hotly.

Dimmer had a big sweat drop on the back of his head, "Oh yeah, sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. He'll be fine now, but we should let him know what's going on and what were trying to do to help. He seen right through Amy when she was Sailor Mercury, just like you did." Rei said looking thoughtful.

Dimmer snorted, "Big deal."

"He also can tell the future, so well he got A's even more than Amy." Lita put in.

"Oh, cool! Now that's power!"

"Stop joking around Dimmer. He can do it, I know he can." Amy told him, quite confidently.

"Who is Tuxedo Mask?" Serena was still over a little further from every one else. Her face was covered in shadows. She was really hit hard that they might have to fight against Tuxedo Mask. It was more of a demand than a question.

Dimmer sighed. "I can't tell you Serena. It's something you'll have to figure out on your own. I can hint a little if you want though."

"Please."

"You still have to go to that appointment as a model for your friend painter this evening, right?"

"Yes…" Serena was a little at a loss what that had to do with her finding out who Tuxedo Mask was.

"Take your locket with you. That was in her pictures too right?"

Serena nodded.

"Let her use it as a model just like you."

"But Darien is her other model! Why would I want to let that jerk touch my locket?" The very idea made her shudder.

"You asked my help. That is all I can do. Do this and for almost certainty you'll know who he is."

"Okay! I'll do it!" Serena said standing up and gaining the usual cheeriness back that she usually had. "After all," she thought, "This is going to help me find Tuxedo Mask."

"Good," Dimmer smiled, "Now you should probably get ready. Luna? Could you make sure she gets here by 5:00 am. for training tomorrow?"

    Luna groaned, "I'll try Dimmer, but with Serena I can't promise anything."

"Hey! What do you mean by that?!"

"That you're a whiny brat that can't get up early enough for school let alone for martial arts training." Rei answered for Luna… though not in Luna's words.

"Hey! I can be just as good as you are in time! Isn't that right Dimmer?"

"Oh no! you ain't draggin me in da dis!" Dimmer took off. 

Chad was inching his way to the door, when the girls turned to look at him. "Uuh… bye!" he booted it after Dimmer.

"Fine than meatball head! If you think you can outdo me, you be here on time, and we'll just see."

"I suppose that's when we show up too?" Amy asked a little down at having to get up so early. She was usually a night owl. The Saior Scouts were starting to really cut in on her studying time.

"Looks like it Amy." Lita answered, considering Serena and Rei had got into another of their tongue sticking out contests, and Dimmer and Chad had escaped the scene, she was the only one left to answer. "Hey Luna, when will Sailor Venus arrive?"

"Tomorrow Lita. Remember to get to bed early girls, it might be a long day tomorrow."

Lita and Amy sighed still staring at the two girls still sticking their tongues out at each other.

"Could be worse." Luna said as she got up. Lita and Amy looked at her wondering what on earth could be worse. "Dimmer and Serena could have started another of their joke fests."

A look of dawning comprehesion washed over the two. And than a mental shudder.

Reality: 

Sailor Moon's voice is heard.

"The odds are mounted against us? I might find out who Tuxedo Mask is? A new Sailor Scout? The famous Sailor V?! Oh wow! We certainly have things to look forward to. I wonder what Chad and Dimmer have planned to train us…"

"Ever imagine knowing the future? We could get top scores on our test just like Greg, figure out what will happen if we make that choice or the other… but you know?"

"That would kind of ruin the surprise of it wouldn't it? Sometimes choices aren't easy to make because someone could be hurt, or it might effect your future big time! Life is full of choices and the best we can do is try to make the best one, and there's no garuntee that was the right one. But it's the mistakes that teach us to choose the right one next time. Next time you make a choice sit back and think about a similar one you may have made, it might help you in making this one. Sailor Moon says!" She gigglied.

Mike walked down the streets of North Sydney and couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was weird enough to see Dimmer show that strong of an emotion to Rei on the show, but this was nuts. There were signs up everywhere. "North Sydney, Home of Dimmer," was everywhere you could see. Cape Breton's industry was pretty much tourism, and when this fell into their laps they went full tilt with it.

"Right after The manager or whatever of "DiC," made the announcement of what was really happening with the old episodes of Sailor Moon, Dimmer is in the conversation of every person in town. Too bad they never gave a rat's ass about him when he was here." 

Malene had been getting hate mail and death threats. If Dimmer ever found out, he'd feel sorry for people that sent it. Both Dimmer and he knew it was just a bad choice she made. It's nothing to deserve what she was getting. Hell, if it weren't for her, "Dimmer" would never exist, just the happy go lucky Arkand. He learned a lot from that experience, and he wouldn't give it up for all the world. He'd been trying to stay out of the spotlight himself. Letting Dimmer's other friends take it. Mitchell had told the press to go fuck themselves, along with the people who were scaring the hell out of Malene.

Mitchell hadn't known Dimmer during the ordeal, but he knew Dimmer afterword, and he was blunt when he told people just exactly what Dimmer thought about them and their world. Hardly any of it was nice. One was, "If Dimmer had no conscience, Most of this town would be swimming in its own blood years ago."

Mike knew it was true in a way, but that's true for anybody. Without a conscience the world would really be in a state wouldn't it? It was in a bad enough of one already, on the account of people didn't listen to theirs as much as they once did.

Katie, another of Dimmer's friends, was like Mike in that order. She plain avoided the rpess, and all of her friends never told the press her name. He hadn't said her name in the show yet, but Mike imagined they'd find out soon enough.

"Oh well. Deal with that when it comes." Russell was getting a kick out of it all though. He was quickly becoming one of the world's most known names. He would talk a little about Dimmer, but mostly of the jokes Dimmer and him would have, no to mention the pranks. 

Mike wondered what the TV people would do with the most popular show in the world. 

"Knowing Dimmer's luck," he sighed, "this will not bode well."

Endnotes: Updated! Gwahahah! Thx to a certain reviewer. And don't kid yourself, I'm glad to see your reviews up there as much as any other. It lets me know one of my reviewers are still reading the online version of this.

So I'm moved into my dorm, and soon I will have my internet access. For now I use college computers to update, so sorry about their punctuality. The next chapters got some interesting plots to them. And as always, if you want some uneditted versions ahead of updates, 

review! 

I always respond to Emails as soon as possible.

That's it for this week! See ya the next!


	18. A Time to Share

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

Serena was walking by the construction site on her way to Peggy's apartment. The police lines and yellow tape flowed all around the site. Much of the destroyed areas had chalk outlines of the lizards. She was surprised to see Darien there watching them try to clean things up. "Oh no, he seen me." She thought quickly looking away hoping he'd ignore her for once.

"Hello meatball head. Did you see this place? What a mess."

"For the last time, my name is SERENA! SE- REEEE-NAAA!"

"Woah, calm down before you trip up and end up hurting somebody."

"The only one here who is about to be hurt is you!" Serena rolled up her sleeves for effect.

"Hey Meatball head, where's that guy from the chocolate shop now? This exchange of wits isn't really challenging. I usually prefer someone with wits, and you need some help in that department."

"Dimmer is working at the arcade, and I don't need him to deal with you! Hmph!"

Serena decided that letting him talk to her back and ignoring his continuous insults was probably the best way to deal with him. "Jeez!" she thought, "Do I really have to spend the two or three hours sitting beside this jerk!"

Darien didn't bother to say anything more, recognising the mood she had worked herself into. He ran a count down in his head. "10… 9… 8 … 7..."

Serena continued to rant in her mind. "Damn him! He is such a jerk! Why does he always have to be sooo mean! I mean really! I try to be nice and what do I get? Everytime I turn around it's meatball head! Ooh! He just makes me sooo mad!"

"2… 1… 0…" He gestured toward her behind her back.

Serena turned to face him in a huff and started yelling at the top of her lungs."Why did you even agree to this anyway?! I thought you wouldn't want to get your picture drawn beside some clutzy meatball head!"

"Normally you'd be right, but you're friends with Rei right?"

Serena arched her eyebrow up a couple of notches.

"Well we've both been rather busy lately, and even though were supposed to be going out, I haven't'seen her in weeks. I was just wondering what she was doing that's all."

"Oh! Well than..." Serena had spotted a chance to butt into someone else's love life. Through almost reflex alone she started to explain about Dimmer and how he came to be living at Rei's temple, and how she has been trying to take care of him.

"So Rei's looking after him?"

"Well not too much anymore since he got his memory back, but he's been in and out of the hospital too. He gave us all a scare there, but it turned out for the best anyway."

"Hmm… lucky guy."

"What's a matter Darien?" Serena crept slowly up over his shoulder, "Feeling a little jealous?"

"Don't be stupid Meatball head. I was just wondering that's all." Darien smiled. He had gotten all that he wanted to know about Dimmer from Serena as planned. He frowned a bit too. It did sound like Rei was ignoring him. He was supposed to be going out with her. He'd worry about that later though. His night's were full of Tuxedo Mask and his days were spent at college and his studies, he really didn't have much time to offer Rei right now anyway, and it sounded like she had her own hands full.

"Well thanks for clearing that up Meatball head, but I should be going. I have a lot on my plate right now sooo…" He was about to step away when he noticed that Serena had grabbed him by his sleeve.

"Oh no you don't! I don't like the idea of sitting by the biggest jerk I know for the next couple hours, but it is for art, and Peggy is expecting us, so come on!" Serena started dragging him behind her by his sleeve.

Darien just sighed and let himself be pulled by the clutz and hoped she wouldn't trip up and send him toward the ground with her on her frequent trips there. He kind of hoped he'd be able to get out of this. The picture he seen drawn by this artist the other day was just a little too close to his dreams for his liking.

The doorbell rang and Peggy asnwered. "Huh? Oh hey, great you both made it! My perfect models. Please come in everything is set up and waiting. Is your friend at the hospital doing better now Serena?"

"Mm hmm." She nodded her head, "Much, he's back at work today."

"That's great news. Alright you two sit over there. That's it. No, not like that, umm… could you guys move just a little bit closer? Alright now just turn you heads until your facing each other. There now hold out your hands like your holding something… there, perfect. Now hold that pose!" Peggy got right to work. "These two look great together" she thought to herself as she brought an image to her mind and started to paint.

Darien looked down to the blonde girl who was told to be staring up at him. Her hands being held by his, and her hands open as if they were holding something. You know, she's kind of pretty… when she's not falling down that is. A smirk came over his face.

Serena had similar thoughts running through her head. "Well… I guess I can see what Rei likes about him." Than that familair smirk came across his face that she knew all too well. "Well, when he's not being such a jerk." Serena expression suddenly held a bit of anger it.

Sensing the tesion in the room, Peggy tried to strike a bit of conversation. "You know I've drawn this same picture many times, but I never really got it right, it always seemed to be missing something. I want to thank you two for agreeing to do this for me." She looked down at her picture, it had been two and a half hours hard at work. The picture looked beautiful. Serena in a white sparkling dress, and Darien in a black suit of golden rimmed armor. Both looked stunning, it was easily her best one yet, but it was still missing that something.

"Can we see it?" Serena asked excitedly.

Peggy nodded her head, no longer needing them to model for her.

"Wow. I'm impressed. There can't be to many people who can make Meatball head here look that good." 

SLAP

Darein stood behind the two girls with his arms folded and a red mark starting to show on his face.

"He is right about one thing though. This is beautiful Peggy."

"Thanks," she repiled modestly, "but I still think it needs something…"

"Hmmm…" Serena thought hard as she looked at the couple. "Hey!" She snapped her fingers, "I got it!" She dug into her purse and grabbed out the star locket.

Peggy looked stunned. It was perfect. Serena was absolutely right it was exactly what she needed.

Darien just stood there looking shocked. That was the locket he had dropped during the fight with the minister. He wondered who had picked it up. How was he going to get it back now?

"It's perfect Serena. Could I ask you two to go back and take up the same poses as earlier?"

"Right! Come on Darien!" She growled out his name as she pulled him by his wrist to sit down where they were before. "Okay Serena now hold it out in front of you just like before."

"You mean like this?" To Darien and Peggy's surprise, the moment she held it out it opened up and started playing it's mysterious melody. Serena blushed, but didn't make anything out of it. Darien just sat in shock. Only he was ever able to open that locket, no one else was ever able to.

"That's perfect Serena. Now Darien?"

The mention of his name snapped him out of his trance. "Huh?"

"Please take Serena's hands in yours just like before."

"Oh. Okay."

Serena glanced quickly to the windows. There was no sign of Tuxedo Mask. Had Dimmer been wrong about this? A small light started to come from the locket as Darien placed his hands below hers. Serena slowly turned her head toward the locket than up to him. He was looking straight at her unblinking.

Rei's voice from the amusement park came to mind. It echoed in her head, "Doesn't he look like Tuxedo Mask to you?"

"Okay, finished. Thank you both, do you want to see?"

Not a minute too soon. Serena's head was spinning. Was Rei right? Was Dimmer trying to tell her that Darien is, in fact, Tuxedo Mask? 

"Umm no, that's okay Miss. Jones" Darien replied hurriedly, "I'm sorry, but I'm already late for a previous appointment. I'll see it later okay? Bye!" He was out the door.

Serena ran after him, she opened up the door in a hurry just to see his retreating form past the tip of a hill and than out of vew.

She turned around to go back to see the painting. It was perfect in every way. She couldn't believe it, but she didn't need to look any further. Darien was her Tuxedo Mask. Serena said good bye to Peggy and went on her way home. She had a lot to think about tonight.

Dimmer was lying awake in bed. Rei had ordered him there early tonight so he could get some more sleep. "Not like its going to matter anyway." He muttered to himself. The sun had only set a bit ago. He had got his nightly training sessions in, and was happy to have gotten to work that day. He was happy to be out of the hospital. His mind wandered thinking about all that was done the night before. The dead corpses littering the ground, blood in pools at their feet. The horrible death of all those lives. They were evil. Sent to kill. They enjoyed the pain they caused. But did they ever know any other way? If that was what he were taught happiness was, than wouldn't he too, kill for pleasure, hoping to find hapiness there? What if it didn't matter? After all, they were just pictures off the end of someone's brush right? But that would mean that the girls were also just…cartoons…

Dimmer shook the dark thoughts from his mind. It was those type of thoughts that didn't let him sleep at night. So he tried to think on other things.

This was the world he always wished he could be in. The anime universe. It was where he always went to escape reality. This time though, it seemed he had escaped for good. So why wasn't he happy? He still felt the same lonliness he felt at home. He had friends there too. Just as important as his friends here. Chad was… well… Chad. Dimmer felt he could describe Chad about as well as he could describe himself. Maybe wacky was the closest description. He got to thinking about all his friends. Luna, she was humorous in her own way, and always quick thinking. Not to mention she was a kitty. That made her a good thing in Dimmer's eyes almost instantly. 

Serena was so happy and innocent. Amy was so smart and close to him. She seemed to know him better than anyone. Lita was so tough and confident. Rei was… angry? Heh. Probably, but she was also so much of a faker. She pretended to be confident when it was so obvious she was looking for confirmation that she did the right thing. And she always did the right thing. She was so caring about other people, but she cared too much about they thought about her.

Dimmer looked around at the dark, empty bedroom. Just like Rei said, he was lonely. He was truthfully at a loss of what to do about it. Back on his island he was always alone. He couldn't talk to new people, he was always too afraid he'd do something they'd find stupid, and they wouldn't like him. Maybe he suffered from they same problem he seen in Rei. He cared too much about what other people thought. 

"Doesn't solve anything though," he muttered quietly to himself. The Dimmer that Amy had first met had no problem talking to people. He hadn't cared what other people thought as long as it put a smile on their face. Dimmer at the present though, was never good at being with people. He just wasn't used to of it. He was used to of being alone. But now part of him is no longer used to of it. It hungers for company. Even now, it wanted someone close so that he could feel secure. It was that side that was at fault for his failing to sleep. Rei figured that out. She seemed much smarter than the television series showed.

"Now Rei, since you figured out the problem, maybe you can help figure out a way to solve it."

Dimmer continued to stare at the hallway light coming from underneath the door.

Rei was trying to sleep herself. She wanted to be awake enough for the morning training lessons so she too had went to bed early. She had sent Dimmer to bed to stop him from practicing all night with Chad. She sighed.

"So Chad wants to be a hero." She couldn't help but laugh. She wondered where he had got all the hardware. She'd have to ask him later. She looked up to her ceiling and thought to herself. "So Dimmer is Valor and he doesn't even know it. And he's Sundown too. Was Valor the futuristic version of Dimmer? He did say that time itself was invovled.

"Dimmer…" 

She whispered quietly to herself. What happened to him? Why did he change so much? He was so happy before his memories returned. How could he predict the future now? He didn't seem to be able to before. His eyes, they showed no real happiness when he smiled at her, or any of the girls. Dimmer's old smile always reached his eyes, but now… She remembered the smile he had up in the tree. She smiled. That one still went up to his eyes. He still hadn't taken the hairclasps off. Before Dimmer was quick to admit his feelings for the group. He pretty much wore them on his sleeve. Any one could tell losing one of his friends would hurt him, but when he stated it earlier, it was almost like he didn't want them to know it. It was like he didn't trust them enough to have this information. Did he think they'd use that against him?

What had caused him to lose the trust he had in people, he obviously never used to care about things like that. 

"Some one must have hurt him." She thought to herself. "Some one must have betrayed him, and it was probably a friend." That was it! She sat up suddenly realizing what she had just thought. She got up and got dressed again. "Wait! I can't just go in there and blurt this out? What can I talk about first? What else did she want to know about?

Dimmer heard knock at the door and Rei's voice. "Are you awake Dimmer? You better not have snuck off again."

"I'm awake and here. I told you I wouldn't go anywhere without telling people first. I won't break my promise." He said that, but he could really use a trip to the docks right about now. "What is it Rei?"

"Something I can't talk about standing out in the hall, are you going to let me in or not?"

"Yeah one minute." He got up to get a pair of jeans on over his boxers, and invited her in.

She quickly went in, and he shut the door behind her. "You could've at least put a shirt on." She watched hs freckled back as he decided to walk back to his bed and fall face first onto it. Face still buried in the covers, his muffled voice answered her.

"Does it really matter? I'll have to undress before I got back to bed anyway. I may've been awake, but dat don't mean I enjoy getting' out of bed ya know."

"Well sorry to disturb your precious semi-conciousness. I need to know just what went on in the hospital."

"Hospital?"

"The whole thing with Vaor?"

Dimmer smirked, "Oh the thing where you were makin' out with Greg."

Rei blushed furiously, "I wasn't making out with him, he kissed me! And it wasn't even really Greg! You know that! I just wondered what else you know."

"Everything. I was there and awake?"

"How about when Sundown was speaking?"

"Heard everything."

"But he said…"

"Sundown's a liar."

"Oh. He didn't want Valor to speak with you, huh?"

"Seemed like it. Learn to strive from the strength of others? What the hell was that supposed to mean? And my past ain't that dark. Just a couple of bad rumors really, light of flame through darkness? What should I go out and buy a torch in case I get lost in a cave? Hmph. I remember everything said to me, Sundown just didn't want me to answer that's all. Valor should thank him, I would've told him where he could put that advice. That was in no way helpful. Advice like that are just riddles, and riddles are something I could have done without. "

"You said bad rumors, what kind of rumors?"

"One bad one, one stupid one. I thought I said I didn't want to talk about my past."

"I know Dimmer, I'm sorry. I'm just curious. I wanted to know how it is that you know the future, and how it concerns your past. After all, I thought you said you didn't have any super powers in "your world"

Dimmer sighed. "You aren't going to let up on this are you?" Dimmer really didn't want to tell anyone about what happened to him. It was a story he could do without retelling, but he wanted Rei to stay around. He was in need of the company, and didn't want her to leave. "After all, she did go out looking for me all last night right? I kinda owe her. Hmmm… Maybe I can tell her just enough about the show to satisfy her curiosity." 

"I didn't have any powers Rei. There are way too many people that would be able to tell what Serena's future would be in my world. Hell, it's posted up all over the net."

"Huh? Why?"

"Rei remember that joke I made about life not being a tv show?"

"Yes…" Rei didn't like where this was going.

"Well, in my world, there is a TV show. Very popular, it was called Sailor Moon."

Rei looked at Dimmer puzzled, why did she care that Serena's life was a tv show in some other world?

"Well, it tells of Serena's and the scout's fight against the evil Negaverse. Though in the next season it's the doomtree… I'm not sure if those two were actually part of the Negaverse or not…"

"So Serena's life is a TV show. Let me guess, it would pretty much HAVE to be a cartoon."

"Anime, yes."

"And I'm the side kick?"

"Hmmm… You're a really close friend. If anything, ALL the scouts are sidekicks. They don't focus on you guys much. Just put yas into a bunch of serious trouble"

"Is that how I'm changing fate?"

"Your changing fate? I thought it was me…"

Rei shook her head. "We both are. Greg said that I was changing fate the time you left to chase down Tuxedo Mask for threatening us. What did you say to him anyway?"

"Heh. Notice you haven't been threatened since? Just told him his real name, now he's just worried about me, that's all."

"So who is he?"

"Can't say, promised not to, but it's exactly who you thought is was anyway."

"Darien."

"I didn't say it, you guessed on your own."

"Ha! I knew it! I'm going out with Tuxedo Mask! Hahaha!"

"You're just doing that to spite Serena aren't you?"

"Who? Me?" Rei smiled innocently.

"That is sooo evil. I like it." Dimmer chuckled evilly.

It was closing in on midnight, and Rei and Dimmer were still talking. Both were lying on the floor in opposite directions. Rei tossed an empty, crumpled chipbag up and down.

"So what is your world like anyway?"

"Sucks. Everyone is out for their own gain. They say they're honest people than lie to their friends. They'll talk about you behind your back, and though they say that they'd say the same to your face, they never would unless they wanted to start a fight. You have to hide what you feel just so no one can get close enough to hurt you. They love to fight for who they are, and what they believe in! But no one actually tries to understand who they are, or what they really believe in. They just say that to make it sound like they're doing the right thing. It's corrupt, and the only thing that comes to us naturally are lies." Dimmer scowled at his entire world. "Of course there are ecxceptions, but you never really know who those exceptions are."

"It was a friend who betrayed you wasn't it?"

"Two. Both I forgive, they only did what came naturally."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes. I can't believe people intentionally do the wrong things. I just think that they must believe it was right, or that what was done against them was unfair. So they seek out revenge for reasons that only they can comprehend. Mostly selfish ones they didn't even realize are there."

"How do you deal with it?"

"I used to run. Run from them and their beliefs, but not now. I try to look at all prespectives. From all angles. I try to find what hurts the least, and go with that."

"But how does that let you know if you can trust them or not?"

"It doesn't, you can't let yourself fully trust anybody."

"But how do you love someone without trust?"

"Love for us is a fairy tale. The only love I see are between friends and family. Lovers seem more or less trying to use each other to fill needs. They don't really look for love, they look for something that is just "enough". How can you truly say "I don't love you anymore"? Those words just don't make sense. Love is something you can't lose for a person."

"Than what about the people who say that?" she again tossed up the chipbag and caught it.

"If you can honestly say that, than I don't believe you truly loved that person, or that you both are at fault for not sharing everything with each other."

"In other words, total and complete trust."

"The trust that you can tell them anything and they'll still love you. No matter what you may have done to hurt them or some one else. The trust they won't cheat, or look elsewhere. The trust that they trust you as much as you trust them."

"That they love you as much as you love them."

"True love. Fiction. In my world there are so many things you could tell no one, that you'd be afraid to tell anyone, that to find two people who found that they could share everything together seems impossible. If such a couple exist, I wonder if they know their own power?"

"Power?"

"They could take over the world Rei. Only two others with that complete amount of trust could stop them. Think about it. Two people standing up against an entire world, but the world is full of nothing but individuals. They could take them all down, because they have twice the manpower anyody else has."

"So to you, in your world, the only real love, is that of a small child and his parents. The child who has no secrets to hide. Or the pet who completely trusts his master."

"Mm hmm. There are those who come close though. There are people who know almost every secret about each other. The more secrets shared the more love that's produced. Yet if they do not know everything, than full and complete love, true love, is not achieved."

"But there are many people who trust each other completely here. All of us scouts. We tell each other anything."

"It's something I can truly envy. The sharing of secrets brings us all closer. You girls share the secret of the scouts, it's a big secret, and so there's a lot of trust, and so a lot of love."

Rei got up and yawned, the clock was flashing 2:00am. "I can't believe its so late." One last time she threw the chip bag in the air. "You know Dimmer. If you know our secret about the scouts, and were not afraid of you knowing, that would mean you're part of that trust. See you in the morning" She waved and left.

The chip bag landed on Dimmer's forehead and bouced off. He was too stunned from Rei's parting words to notice. 

Outside the wind blew against the window. If it could the wind would have smiled. It was there to watch everything. The bond was formed, and in time would only grow stronger.It was an unbreakable bond that lead him and Sundown back to this dimension. It would be that bond that would be Sundown's downfall. He would have to report back to the council about it tonight, they'd want to know the progress right a way. And his long, green haired contact was always just a little picky about punctuaility. "You'd think the fact she controlled time, would allow a little slack but noooo…"

The dagger sat up against the wall. Soon now, the crystals were almost all collected, if Dimmer continued to speed up the storyline, the bond of both Rei and him would grow stronger, and he more powerful. Exactly what Sundown planned. "I learned from my last mistake. I won't leave so easily this time. I'll break fate itself if it tries to interfere with me and Rei again! I swear it!"

Serena's voice again is heard along with flashbacks of the show.

"So Darien is Tuxedo Mask?! Wow! And is something up with Dimmer and Rei?"

"You know the world can be a dangerous place, and sometimes people can really be mean, but that doesn't mean that everyone is! It's hard after people hurt you, but it's important to keep believing that there is good in people. Sailor Moon says!" She giggled.

"Sailor Moon cannot be aired on national television!" The editors all screamed. "There's no telling what way this show could go! It's rating has already gone to 13 and up from the swearing and violence! What if things get even heavier?! The last thing we need are these young men and women in underage sex! They're all role models to millions of children!"

"But the ratings have shot up! And the profit is amazing! We don't even have to pay for new episodes. We have all the action figures selling at 5x the making price! Can we afford to give up this gem?!"

DiC's manager watched the board lock horns. Fan letters were pouring in. There might be riots of young men and women if they shut down the show now. Especially if their fan mail had any indications on the matter. They were in the process of being sued for copy rights, and they were making enough money to pay for it all only because of this show. If things kept going as it was they'd all be either rich by keeping the show, or in the poorhouse by letting it go. Most potential law suits settled for a large cut in the profits, and there was plenty to go around. But there was another matter to this. An actual human had been caught in the cartoons. They couldn't shut down the show at possible risk to life. Unless someone really found out what was going on, there was nothing any one could do, but maybe put it at a later time slot. That was fine with him. More than likely, it would be watched just as much. He just hoped his company wouldn't end up being the one to pay for all this.

Endnotes: Hi again! I'm updating once more. No, no internet yet, but soon. For some good news though, I'm getting close to the end of this fic. If not that, than at least the climax, but that's because I've just finished writing chapter 23. You guys are only reading this chap 17. That's how I can update once a week :p 

Can't wait until next week? Review and leave a way for me to contact ya. 

Sick of hearing it?

Good! cause you're gonna read it again and again and again and again and again and ag… ect.


	19. A Time to Be More Creative with Chapter

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

Next Morning

"Okay girls. You ready?" 

Dimmer was walking back and forth in front of them. The girls were all paired up. Lita and Rei paired off togetther, and Serena and Amy. 

Chad was walking back and forth like Dimmer.

"Yes Sensei!" They all called out.

"Good, we've paired you up like this for a reason. Lita and Rei have experience in this already, but Serena and Amy know next to nothing."

Chad spoke up, "We are going to teach you all martial arts, and you are all going to be worked very…VERY hard. Serena and Amy, being behind we should go a little easy on you both right?"

Serena nodded her head vigorously, while Amy's eyes brightened a little.

"Heeell no," Dimmer answered for Chad, "That means you have to work a hella lot harder, and Chad is gonna be teaching you both just what pain really is. We both expect you here an hour early for every practice session until you're caught up."

Amy and Serena's jaw dropped. Rei and Lita had been practicing for years.How were they going to catch up to that?

Chad looked to Lita and Rei, both looked the part. They both had their practice clothes on, and had stern looks on their faces. "Don't think both a' yous got off easy. If I'm teaching Serena and Amy guess who's 'bout to teach you."

Lita gave him a questioning glance, what could be so different about Dimmer teaching then Chad. It was Luna that voiced the question though.

"What would be the difference, Chad? 

Chad looked at the cat, he was still getting used to of it being able to talk. "Haven't you ever seen us train Luna? There is a very distinct difference in our methods. These two will learn to fight like Dimmer, and Serena and Amy will fight like me.

"Ummm… I'm sorry that doesn't explain things too much for me Chad… I mean Sensei."

"What Chad is trying to say, Serena, is that you will learn to be as fast as him. Dodging, weaving, using dangerous, risky attacks that will take lots of skill and practice to use well. Of course you'll learn the basics too, but we have no time to let you get used to of that before teaching you the advanced things. We'll be throwing you into the deep end of the pool and start teaching you to swim while your drowning… probably getting you to hold a 50 pound bag of potatoes while you're at it."

Serena swallowed, that did not sound fun. Amy suddenly wasn't so sure this was such a good idea anymore.

"So what is Dimmer's style than?" Lita asked rather nevously.

"Worse." Chad chuckled, "Mine requires hard work and lots of muscle strains, his requires hard work, muscle strains, and lots and lots of bruises."

"Huh?"

"What our Sensei is trying to tell us Lita, is that while Chad can dodge some of the most impossible of strikes, Dimmer takes the impossible strike head on and gets up for more."

"Quite correct Rei. Glad to see you've been watching. I not only take the damage of these strikes Lita, but I usually cause them too, I end up hurtin' myself to damage my opponent. Chad is usually more interested in gettin' a large combination of hits in to keep his enemy off balance in a fight. I usually finish the fight before it ever gets that far. While I'm able to make each punch at me do less damage than it should, I've also learned to ignore any pain that might happen to me durin' the ones I'm not gonna be able to block. I'm able to dodge easily enough mind you, I'm just not as able at it as Chad. I prefer blockin', parryin', and entanglement to dodgin'. Than I use a powerful enough strike to finish what ever I'm doing in a shot. I can't hit Chad to often, but when I do the fight is over."

"So while Chad teaches the other two what pain is and how to avoid it, you'll teach us a new defintion of it and how to take it?"

"Yep, that sounds 'bout right Lita."

"Though you guys will be learning the basics of both styles for the beginnin', we'll be teachin' you our advanced styles at the same time we teach the basics."

"Please do not forget, we have to pick up our newest scout at the bus stop at noon." Luna called out from over by the wall where she was drinking from a bowl of milk.

Dimmer chuckled. "Cuttin' classes already? That just won't do. Guess the first session is just going to have to be harder than we planned." 

It wasn't the words that paled his new student's faces, as much as it was the tone they were said in.

Chad smiled, "Let's do this." 

That afternoon 

The long, blonde hair of the young innocent looking girl trailed behind her as she walked up the steps to the temple. She looked down at the white cat climbing the large amount of stairs with her, than back to the paper in her hand. "This looks like the place Artemis. I wonder why they weren't there to meet us at the bus stop. I hope nothing happened."

The cat looked around at the people in the surrounding area, and mewed it's agreement.

"Hello?" The blonde teenage girl walked up to the training hall where she was hearing a lot of voices. One such voice was the pleading of another blonde teenage girl who was currently standing on the top of the large building..

"Chad! No! Please no! You can't be serious! I mean this is my first day! I can't doooo thiiiiiiiiiiis!!"

"Nonsense, you two have been doin' great, Amy just did it. Didn't ya Amy?" He called out to the blue haired girl, who seemed a little delerious as she sat on the ground below where the young man and girl were arguing.

"Heh, I remember my first time. I near broke both of my ankles!" Chad smiled fondly at the memory.

"You're insane!"

"Nah, you'll be fine." He looked up in thought for a second, "Well as long as ya remember everytin' I taught ya anyway."

"You've been hanging around Dimmer too much" The blonde giggled, "You got a bit of his accent."

"You fall now…" 

Mina's eyes bulged as she watched the boy push the other blonde girl off the building roof. 

"What?! Hey what are you doing!" She started running over to where she might land, Mina knew already there was little outside her transformation she could do to help the falling girl. She hoped to try to break her fall with her own body. 

Serena tried to remember what Chad had taught her… "Tuck and roll, tuck and roll, tuck and roll…" She just barely caught a glimpse of the girl running beneath her, "Oh no! She'll get in the way!"

It was a surprise even to herself as Serena found herself waiting to the last possbile moment to tuck her arms and legs together to form a ball like she had done on earlier jumps, the difference this time though was how she had wrapped herself around this latest obsrtuction in her path. She rolled both her and Mina into a ball and rolled into the landing taking as little impact from the fall as possible. Serena rolled right to her feet holding Mina in her arms. She was dumbfounded, she had thought and reacted in seconds, she looked up to Chad for confirmation that she actually had done what she thought she had done. Chad was smiling widely and holding two thumbs up. Serena looked back down toward the blonde in her arms.

"Uuuh… hi?" She greeted the onlooker lamely.

"Uh hello? Does a Rei Hino live here?"

"Wow Serena! You were remarkable!" Amy ran over to make sure everything was alright.

Serena smiled back, "Thanks Amy. I really didn't think I had it in me…"

"Umm… excuse me? Could you please put me down?"

"Oops sorry." Serena set down the newcomer, "You were asking about Rei? Yes she lives here, but she's a little busy right now, I could give her the message if you like"

"No need. Serena is it? Luna sent for me."

"Luna? You mean…"

Mina nodded.

"Oh wow! You arrived. My name is Serena, this here is Amy. She's the brains around here."

"Nice to meet you both, my name is Mina."

"That's right. I'm sorry, we forgot to come get you at the bus stop, we got caught up with things here." Amy apologized on their behalf.

"Don't worry about it, Artemis here seemed to know his way around here pretty well."

"Does he now?" Serena bent down to pet the stark white cat when she noticed the familiar moon emblem on its forehead. "Huh? Just like Luna!"

"Yes actually." The cat responded to her surprised statement. "It's nice to finally meet you Serena. Luna has told me a lot about you. I'd like to speak to her. It's been quite some time since I last seen her in person."

"Oh wow! You can talk too! You've got to be the only two talking cats in the world!," sparkles grew in Serena's eyes, "Your probably meant for each other!" She said dreamily.

"Yes well… *ahem*" Artemis coughed, trying to hide the blush showing quite clearly over his white fur, "Could you please bring us to see her?"

"Uh, I'm not so sure that's a good idea…" Amy looked toward the training hall as a paticular loud crash came from inside. "Their in there training."

"What's happening in there?" Mina winced as another crash and high pitched yelp came from inside.

"That would be what Dimmer considers training. Can't say I ever seen him do that myself, but he says he experiences the equivalent amount of pain on a regular basis these days." Chad had hopped down from the roof. "You the new recruit the girls were talkin' about?"

"Ummm… yes?" Mina looked almost afraid, the Negaverse she could take on, but these people were being thrown off buildings for training! And who knows what was going on inside the actual buildings. Just how good were they? 

"My name is Chad, pleased to meet you." 

"Mina, I'm sorry, I'm at a bit of a loss. We were never told about you or you… unique brand of training, do you do this kind of thing often.?"

Chad scratched the back of his head and laughed a while blushing a little, "Who me? Yeah, Dimmer and I do this all the time."

"Wow you must all be great fighters here!"

"Huh? Oh no! You got it all wrong, this is our first day" Serena smiled cheerfully.

"And you're jumping off buildings?" Mina sweatdropped.

"Normally it'd take longer, but these two are real naturals, it's just like me after I started training with Dimmer."

"Oh nevermind that, I'm sure we can get Dimmer to stop training long enough for us to introduce you, come on!" Serena grabbed Mina by the hand and started pulling her towards the dojo's door.

Mina just let herself be pulled and looked to other people. 

Chad nodded to himself, "Sure, after all we should have stopped to pick you up anyway. I'll go in and get some snacks ready."

"Huh? Hey wait for me!" Amy smiled and chased after the two blondes and turned back to watch Chad before catching up "Something he said…"

"What's up Amy?"

"Its nothing Serena, hey lets go see how the other two are working out."

That Morning

"Okay Dimmer… we put this stuff on, now how is it supposed to help us train?" Rei was a little perturbed as she looked down at the old knight's armor that Dimmer had insisted that Lita and her put on. " We transformed just like you asked us to too. Where did you get this stuff anyway?"

"Irrelevant. You are now ready to begin training. Now you and Lita, or would you prefer Sailor Jupiter and Mars?"

"As long as were in training it shouldn't matter."

"Very well, Rei and Lita than. You may have noticed the rather large boulder I have brought into the building last night which is suspended by a chain far above us."

"Last night? Did you get no sleep again!"

"You should know, you came in my room and kept me up for the majority of it." Dimmer rolled his eyes, this was supposed to be training time, he really didn't need this.

"Really Rei?" Lita popped up from behind her shoulder "And what were you two doing up so late?" She asked with a wink.

"N.. nothing! Nothing like that! Tell her Dimmer!"

Dimmer looked over at Rei and smirked, "Now as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…"

Rei paled, "Hey! Help me out here!"

Lita smiled, "Come on Rei were friends right? You can tell me."

"I am telling you! Nothing happened!"

Lita grinned evily "Methinks she does protest too much".

Dimmer narrowed his eyes. Training was no place for these boy crazy discussions. "Well, they're not listening to me so…" He cut the rope holding up the boulder.

The boulder swung down by its chain, Lita and Rei were too stunned to do anything about it. 

Rei yelped and Lita grunted as both were smacked hard up against the walls. The armor and their transformations had protected them from much of the damage, but obviously it still hurt a lot and their impact against the wall hadn't helped either.

Dimmer walked over to the two stunned girls. "Welcome to yor first day of training. If you survive it, I will be happy to welcome you both to your second day tomorrow. Now if your friendly little discussion is over, I would suggest you both work together to hang that boulder back up where it was. It's going to take a lot of effort in that heavy armor your wearing. Today I will help you hook it back up, tomorrow you do it on your own."

"You have got to be kidding? You're not going to hit us with it again?"

"Your endurance must be built up. For heroes of the universe, you are incredibly weak. I will teach you how to roll the impact off of you, so that its impact will do far less damage, being hit once more by a boulder might give you the added incentive you need to concentrate on the training here. You will be much stronger in battle after this, or you will be dead. Now come on there's still most of the day left. Oh and first rule, never take your eyes off the enemy, in this case, the boulder… and me."

Lita and Rei looked at each other. This was going to be a long day.

Luna sat in the corner watching the whole time. She couldn't really believe that Dimmer had just hit her girls with a boulder. She would have warned the girls, but something about Dimmer's training brought back a memory of the Moon Kingdom. Such training efforts were used to bring the kingdom together. The training was devastatingly brutal, but very effective, but where had Dimmer come up with the idea.

Dimmer chuckling to himself as he helped the girls hook the rock back up the the roof. "Good ol' Ranma. It ain't the breaking point, but its close." He smiled, this was still a cartoon right? The girls would be extremely sore tonight, but they'd survive. Proof of that was how they were still able to stand and help him hook this boulder back to the roof.

That Afternoon

It only took Lita and Rei two more full impacts before they started to learn how to take the blows. Not to say they weren't bruised and not slammed into the wall each time, but they were definitely taking less and less of the impact, and Dimmer was just now letting them take a break.

"You two are doing great!" Dimmer waved from behind the boulder, "One more time and we'll call 'er quits!"

Lita and Rei braced themselves for the blow. Dimmer cut the rope and the dojo door opened letting in Serena and the others, just in time to see the boulder smash into Lita and Rei.

"Aaaagh!" After the boulder swung away, Dimmer caught it by the chain before it could swing back. It would have clobbered Serena and Amy who ran to see if their friends were alright.

"Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, were fine…"

"It was a lot harder at the start, but Dimmer's a pretty good teacher when it comes to reducing damage."

Mina and Artemis stood in the doorway, stunned into silence staring at the two downed girls who just took a boulder head on. "and I suppose they just started this morning too?" She looked down to her cat, "If I have to train too, you better get me the roof hopping one, because there is no way I'm going to let myself be hit by a boulder got it?"

"Sure thing Mina, sure thing." Artemis shook out of his stupor.

"Artemis? Is that you?"

"Luna!" The white cat bounded over to her, as she stood up. "Luna its been ages!"

"Its wonderful to see you again Artemis. Is this the Sailor Scout you found?"

"Yes Luna, this is Mina, Sailor Venus. Mina this is Luna."

Mina walked over to where she was being introduced, "Pleased to meet you."

Dimmer's arm was straining as he held onto the chain with one hand and the wall with the other, "I gotta reach the hook!" He said feeling his muscles straining with the effort of just not letting it swing 

Amy had run over to see just what kept the boulder from falling back down. She wasn't expecting to see Dimmer trying to put the boulder back onto the hook by himself.

"Dimmer! You're not transformed! You can't do that kind of thing now!"

Dimmer blinked at Amy than blinked again.

"I knew there was some reason this was a whole lot easier last night…" he than realized he wasn't paying enough attention to the chain, and he couldn't hold on any longer.

"Everybody outta da way!!" He screached as the staging used to hang the boulder up fell away from his feet, he was stuck hanging on top of the boulder as it swung toward the wall.

The scouts all leapt away, Mina had scooped up the mooncats before leaping away herself.

"Aaaaagh!" The boulder smashed into the wall and Dimmer flew off face first into the wall himself. The boulder swung away and Dimmer slid down the wall by his face. A muffled, "That wasn't so bad" was his only response before the boulder crushed him into the wall on its second swing. 

Sailor Mars and Jupiter stopped the boulder before it was able to swing into him again, while the rest went to check on Dimmer.

"Dimmer are you all right?" Serena peeled his face of the wall to find it a purple, bruised, bleeding, and swelling mess.

"Ne…ver ..bet..ter" Dimmer said dizzily before falling unconcious.

"Well its no wonder you guys forgot me," Mina said drinking some tea with her new found friends, "You guys must have been pretty busy."

"You said it, Dimmer isn't very easy to train under." Lita responded rubbing her sore limbs.

"Chad's no piece of cake either" Serena huffed.

"I think I'll take that as a compliment," He laughed before taking a sip of his own tea. "After all, it takes a lot of work to train you guys into the shape me and Dimmer are in. You guys have done one morning of this, and, except for Dimmer being squashed like a bug, Dimmer and I are doin' this all the time, though mostly its just trainin' through our fights. It was in one day we learned to roof hop. Just like you two did today." He indicated to Serena and Amy.

"You make a good point Chad, but it was the point you made earlier today that really interests me."

"Huh? I made a point?"

The girls laughed and Chad joined them scratching the back of his head with one hand and holding his tea in the other.

"It was when you said you were a natural after training with Dimmer. We seem to be learning at the same rate you both have been. Don't you find it a little bit too much of a coincidence that all of us happen to be naturals? I have little doubt that Mina, when she joins in with Serena and I, will also be a natural."

"Hey that's true!" Serena squealed, "What do you make of it Amy?"

"I'm not quite sure yet."

"Well it may have somethin' to do with the fact that all you girls are imbued with magic or somethin'…" Chad thought aloud with a serious look on his face.

"Yeah, that might be it!" Mina agreed with Chad.

"What might be it?" Chad asked.

"What you just said dummy" Serena giggled.

"Oh did I say that out loud?"

"Just when you think he isn't as dumb as he looks." Rei jibed at him as she walked into the room and sat down.

"How is Dimmer doing?" Serena asked before anyone else could.

"Same as he's always doing when you'd think somone else would have died in his position. He'll be fine. He's just winded with some facial abrasions."

"That's good," Mina said simply.

"Yes, that's good to hear Rei." Luna stated, "Now Amy what is your opinioin on your new learning curve?"

"To tell the truth, I was inclined to Chad's way of thinking, but the theory doesn't work out because of Chad himself"

"Huh?" Chad answered stupidly.

"Well Chad, you have no magic qualities, nor do you have a transformation, yet you have this same learning curb as us."

"Hey yeah, that's right…"

"So its only logical to presume that it has something to do with Dimmer. The problem with that theory though, is that Dimmer didn't train me or Serena, it was Chad."

"Maybe we both have the learnin' curb?"

"Or maybe its from where Dimmer and Chad hang out so much…" Serena piped in.

"But Rei and Dimmer hang out a lot too, they spent an especially long time close together last night" Lita smirked.

"Interesting…" Serena looked over at Rei with a smirk.

"Yes it is Serena, Lita makes a good point. Their must be some kind of different relationship between Chad and Dimmer, something that connects them…"

"Oh Amy, that's not the interesting thing."

"It isn't?"

"No it's the question why Rei was with Dimmer so much last night" Serena smiled, "Especially when she's supposed to be going out with Darien."

"Listen meatball head! There's nothing between me and Dimmer were just good friends alright?"

"Yeah? Than what were you two doing up so late?"

"We were just talking alright!"

"Really? Just talking? All that time, right until morning? That's so romantic!"

"It wasn't like that!!"

Mina laughed, and looked to Amy who appeared be enjoying the show. "Just who is Dimmer any way, Artemis?"

"That's a good question Mina, I've been wanting to find that out myself, Luna?" 

"Well Amy knows him best, she was the one who translated for him at, as he refers to it, his point of impact."

"Point of impact?" Mina looked at Amy questioningly. 

"Yes, you may have heard on the news of a young boy who fell from the sky causing a small crater in the middle of a busy intersection?"

"Dimmer?"

"Mm hmm. For a couple weeks he had to sleep on a park bench!" Serena put in excitedly.

"Why does ya always have to mention that to the new people?" Dimmer stood in the doorway giving Serena a flat look. His face was mostly healed except for a glow in the dark bandage on his nose, and some in a crossshape further up on his forehead. 

"Dimmer your awake!" Serena cheered.

"Gave us all another scare there Dim." Lita smiled.

"You'd think we'd be used to of it after the tokyo tower incident." Rei smirked.

"How did this conversation get on me?"

"Artemis and Mina are curious as to who you are." Luna answered.

"Meow?" Dimmer sat down, "And yas jus' got as far as me bench?"

"Well if you'd like to finish?"

"Nah, you go ahead, It'd be cool to hear it from your point of views."

"Very well than. To continue, it wasn't long before we found out Dimmer has a tremendous learning curb in almost everything he does."

"So its a "learning curb" now is it?" 

"You got something better?" Rei asked angrily.

"Uh… No no! It works! Please continue."

"Good than," Amy turned back to Mina and Artemis, "He learned the Japanese language in less than a week, he learned to read it the week after. He's obviously very talented at martial arts, and computers since he's been working with his boss Kintaro."

"Wow! That's pretty cool Dimmer." Artemis studied Dimmer, and suddenly got a very nervous feeling about the way Dimmer was eying him as if noticing him for the first time.

"Kitty!" 

Artemis was promptly glomped and in Dimmer's lap.

"Huh? What the?" Artemis looked over to Luna with a puzzled glance as Dimmer settled him down into his lap.

"You get used to of it."

The girls all laughed before Amy continued.

"Not long after we learned Dimmer has his own transformation called Sundown."

"Really? That's amazing, but what did Rei mean by the Tokyo Tower incident.?"

"You might have heard of a young man who, miraciously, survived falling off Tokyo Tower. Once again that would be Dimmer. He seems to have amazing recuperating abilities."

"So just who are you Dimmer?"

"Some guy from a different world who got thrown here through his TV set."

"Is that all there is to it?"

"To my knowledge, I'd like to know why my TV sucked me in. I'm working on a theory that my real body's stuck in a coma, and you guys are all a dream or something."

A pillow was promptly thrown at his face.

"Well I think that pretty much covers him…" Amy thought for a second to see if she remembered anything else.

"Well I want to know a little about his world. What's so different about it?"

"Dimmer took the pillow of his face and smirked, "The fact that it isn't so full of pig tails, sparkles, and ponies."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It don't mean nothin', can we change the topic please?"

"Yeah, enough about Dimmer. Are you really the Sailor V? The one that all the games are based off?" Serena waved her hand in his face as if to wave him out of the conversation.

Mina blushed and looked away. 

The moment Serena pulled her hand away from Dimmer's face she heard the faint clicking of teeth together. She blanched as she figured out that she very nearly loss her fingers.

"Well yeah," Mina was saying, "some newscast caught me at a couple places where I got rid of some slimeball who was mugging some people, or stopped a child from getting hit by a car, you know that kind of thing. Nothing too big." She smiled modestly.

"I think you don't give yourself enough credit, what about the news story where you stopped those bank robbers, or that hostage situation." Artemis asked rather smugly.

"Really?" Serena forgot all about Dimmer, "You did that?"

"Well they weren't really all that great, I mean all I had to do was take away their hostage and the police did the rest…"

"Sounds like a stressful situation if you asked me." Lita put in.

"Mina is a great Sailor Scout just like all of you. It'll be nice working with others for once though, its tough to be a lone wolf. Down a little lower Dimmer…. Yeah right there."Artemis's purring could be heard throughout the room, "You're pretty good at this, Luna must have you trained pretty well…"

"Excuse me?" Luna bristled over by Serena.

"Sorry to disappoint Artemis, but Luna doesn't like to be pet too often it seems. She hardly ever lets me pet her."

"Huh? Of course she likes to be pet… especially on the back of her neck… and under her chin…"

"Artemis!"

"Huh? Uh oh." Artemis took off out of the room, Luna wore an angry expression as she chased after him right on his tail.

Everyone laughed at the spectacle of the two running out the door.

"Jeez, I hope I didn't get 'im in too much trouble…" Dimmer chuckled still watching the door to see if the cats would come back in soon.

"Hey Dimmer, before Mina asked the million dollar question about who you were, we were talking about your learning curb."

"Yeah? Figure out anything about it."

"Its not much to figure out Dimmer." Rei gave him a flat look, "You're a genuis. Though you sure don't act like it."

"That's because I'm not one. There's gotta be something else."

"Why don't you believe you're a genuis Dimmer?" Mina asked.

"Quite simple really. In my home I never caught on to things this quick, now its like my body knows what I'm doing before I know."

"Well we don't have to get into that right now Dimmer. What we were talking about earlier was how your learning curb is being applied to us."

"Think its because I'm teaching yas, Amy?"

"That's what I said," Chad answered the question, "but Amy pointed out that I was teaching them too." 

"Yes, is there some kind of different relationship between you and Chad than there is between you and anyone else?"

"Hmm.. let me think… Yes! Me and Chad made a deal, and Sundown sealed it for us."

"Oh yeah, so like maybe some of your power was transferred over to me when we shook hands."

"Wait, Sundown is a person? I though you said he was Dimmer's transformation…"

"He's that too, but he seems to have a mind of his own at points too."

"It's reasons such as that one we've begun this harsh training Mina." Lita offered, "You see, if Dimmer or Chad are not around to give us the hand we need. We'll need to be stronger to defend ourselves, especially if Sundown decides to turn against us, no offense Dimmer, we'll need to be stronger to defend ourselves."

"None taken Lita. I transform at my own risk, I know."

"So Sundown's power may have transferred a little into Chad…" Amy thought, "If there was only a way to see for ourselves."

"I might be able to help there Amy.I could try to search there auras using the sacred fire."

"Sounds goods to me" Dimmer volunteered.

"I'm up for it" Chad agreed.

"Good after you're done, you can meet us at the chocolate shop celebrating our newest arrival." Serena smiled.

"Sounds even better, hey snacks are on me tonight, so go ahead and pack it in." Chad laughed.

"Okay! Hey tell Artemis and Luna where we went when they come back, alright?" Mina called as Serena pulled her out the door."

Dimmer smirked and looked to Chad, "In other words, tell Luna where the girls went and ask where she buried the body."

"Took da words right outta me mouth, Dim."

"Ha! Yes its spreading!"

"What is?"

"Nothing at all."

"Come on you guys this may take a while. You guys should have been learning this kind of thing right along you know?"

"Aw, come on Rei, cut us some slack would ya?"

"No Chad, and stop speaking with Dimmer's accent, you sound ridiculous."

"I got an accent?"

The room was dark except for the eerie glow of the flame, its mystical blue light illuminating the three that sat meditating before it. 

Rei's eyes squinted as she envisioned in her mind the auras of both Dimmer and Chad. Chad's aura she peered into easily, but Dimmer's was very difficult, had he not opened himself up to her, she was sure she never would have been able to.

A flash of light as she peered closer into flickering of lights. The Aura of people are usually composed of hundreds of colors with one or two being more prominent than others. It was not uncommon to see dark auras lined with a prominent very dark blue or brown, but in Dimmer's Aura there were only three outstanding colors. Black, white and grey, only grey was common, the other two often could symbolize the very nature of the person, telling that they were either good or evil. It was never heard of that both would be found in the same person. 

White would represent purity and joy. Black would represent hatred, anger, and distrust. Grey was the mix of the two, everyone had some amount of grey in their aura, but Dimmer had it as his main property. There was no way to desribe such a person, it was like there was an ever lasting battle going on, right now the black held as much space as white and grey combined.

Something about that frightened her.

What also confused her was the only other color in him. It was just a small trace outlining his entire aura. A light green color, usually symbolizing how well intuned with nature one was.

A flash of light

She peered into Chad's aura. His Aura was most prominent with yellow, having a small trail of a very dark green running through it. She smiled, One of happiness and strange tastes, and a small bit of a prankster. The result? He was downright wacky and happy with life, though some of his tastes did have a bit of a dark tint to them.

As she looked further into his aura she found traces of pure black. She had peered into his aura before and knew that that was never there. They were connected. 

Rei decided to try something. Releasing her sight of their suras she instead looked at the powers in the room. Her own a deep shade of red light illuminated her, while Dimmer was outlined in shadow. Chad should have nothing. In essence she was right, but to her surprise there was a small trail of shadow tracing the edge of his hand, a single strand of it connected with Dimmer's power.

"A link! A permanent link!" Her eyes opened wide as she loss all sense of the trance, "Is Sundown truly that powerful to be able to create one? Its no wonder Chad has Dimmer's learning curb."

"So we have a permenent link?" Chad blinked, "Woah, when Sundown seals a deal, he really seals it don't he?"

"No joke. Well what harm can it do Rei?"

"Little, he'll feel a little of what you feel at the time, he'll know when your using your power, and he'll take on a bit of your personality."

"Like my accent?" Dimmer smiled.

"Yes Dimmer, like your accent." Rei almost growled that out, just what we need. Another person like Dimmer running about. Even to a small degree she knew that was going to end up nothing but trouble to her.

Artemis crawled out from behind the tree he was hiding behind, he cautiously looked both ways to make sure the coast was clear. "Oh man, I just got here today, open my mouth maybe four times, and already she hates me."

"It serves you right!" Luna called from up in the tree he was hiding behind. "Imagine! Telling Dimmer that! Right in front of everyone too!" Luna's fur bristled as she looked crossly at the white cat beneath her.

"Aw, come on Luna I'm sorry really!" Artemis backed up slowly, ready to sprint at any second should she not see reason. "I don't even know what's so wrong!"

"Telling people I like to be pet indeed. Hmph!" She hopped down in front of him.

"What's so wrong about liking to be pet?" Artemis gave her a puzzled glance.

"It's indecent! To go around being fondled! What do you think we are common house pets!"

"No I think we're cats. Cats like attention, what's wrong with being given some? Luna, we are cats. Its natural to want to be pet once in awhile. We're not human."

"I know we're not human!" Luna's tail twitched violently behind her. 

Artmeis looked down under his breath, he asked himself more than he asked her, "Do you?"

Unfortunately she was close enough now to hear him."You think I don't know I'm a cat?!"

"No! That's not what I meant!"

"But its what you said! And its what you think isn't it! I know very well that a cat is exactly what I am!" Luna looked at him with barely kept in rage. She turned around and sprinted into the night.

"Luna, "He called out to her retreating form, knowing already it was too late, "I know you know you're a cat." He spoke once again to himself, "I just wish you didn't hate the fact so much." He turned around to head in the opposite direction.

The girls sat down at the shop laughing and telling stories about the people and hings they had seen, catching Mina up on current events and just making her feel welcomed and comfortable, all the while charging more and more off of Chad's card.

Amy, being her reseserved self simply oredered a parfait, while the other girls were going all out. She looked at the total cost and wondered if Chad knew what he was getting himself into. These girls could eat him out of house and home.

Serena grew suddenly quiet and watchful as Lita and Mina kept their conversation going.

Darien walked in and ordered his coffee. His eyes held rings under them from the little sleep he got last night. He put some of his college books up on the counter and started reading one.

"What is wrong with me?" he thought to himself, "its not like anyone knows who I am. I have no idea how Serena got a hold of that locket, but Tuxedo Mask is just a rumor to her right?" His coffee arrived and he sipped at it. Somehow he just couldn't covince himself of that. "How did she open it?" The question repeated in his mind over and over. It was the question that had kept him awake, and hassled all his study periods. He shut the book he was looking at it in irritation. He knew he'd get no sleep again tonight. He took a long swallow from his coffee and turned around to leave.

PHSSST

"Yuck!"

He quickly turned around grabbing a napkin from an outstretched hand, to wipe the spit up coffee off of his face and his white shirt. Without looking he handed some napkins back to Serena, who when he had stood up, surprised him by being right in his face. 

"Ohhh, I'll never get these stains out!" She wiped vigorously at her white blouse.

"Yeah, sorry about that, you surprised me there."

"Its alright." She giggled as she looked at his coffee stained white dress shirt, "I guess it just makes us a matching pair huh?"

"Uh right. I have to get back to studying now, see ya later meatball head." Why the hell was she every where he went lately?

"Not so fast. There's something we need to discuss." Serena got a serious look on her face and tossed the locket to Darien.

Darien caught it, and looked back as Serena crossed her arms. He sighed, "better now than later I guess. Come on Serena. My apartment isn't far from here."

Lita and Amy's eyes were bulging out of their sockets, Serena had just upped and left the table without saying a word and was now leaving with Darien. The whole scene was lost on Mina, who didn't know who Darien was.

Dimmer, Chad and Rei were walking outside the shop when they bumped into Serena and Darien.

Dimmer looked to Serena than to Darien and smiled. "Hey Rei looks like there's something going on behind your back here."

Darien blanched as he realised Serena was hanging onto his arm, more to stop him from running rather than to get closer to him. Serena mouthed the words "Tuxedo Mask" and gestured to Darien. Rei got the idea, while Dimmer had already realized it the moment he saw the two. Serena was probably going to tell him everything. It wasn't like her to keep secrets from the ones she trusted, and there was few she trusted as much as she did her Tuxedo Mask.

"Rei! It's not wha…" Darein stopped himself midsentence as Rei swatted at Dimmer and laughed. 

"Lay off Dimmer. Have a good time you two." She winked at Darien, who was now just plain confused.

Serena tugged at Darien to remind them they were in a hurry, and the two left in silence.

Chad just took everything in. He looked at Dimmer and asked the one and only question that would give hime the answers to all of his querries.

"Huh?"

"Darien's Tuxedo Mask." Dimmer answered.

"Oh." Things all became clear.

"Hey! I thought you weren't allowed to tell anybody!"

"Its stupid to keep a promise that's going to be done away with by tomorrow morning. Looks like I'm going to have to get another suit of armor…"

Sailor Moon says:

"Hi everybody! Sailor Moon here! Oh wow! Are we good or what? Dimmer and Chad are training us all! We'll beat the Negaverse for sure now!"

*shot of Luna and Artemis*

"Uh oh. Looks like our cats have some problems to work out. We all have to accept who we are. Luna is having some problems with that it seems. Sometimes it seems really difficult to like who we are, but you have to learn to live as who you are. After all, your friends have. After all you won't be able to enjoy living if you can't enjoy being yourself. Sailor Moon says!"

Reality:

Mike turned off his v.c.r. and sighed. 

"That's fine for you to say Serena. You have this great life of a super hero. You're never selfish, have never done anything wrong, and never feel the guilt of really offending a friend, or leaving someone out."

Mike shook his head. "I lie, and cheat. Yell and get mad at my father and sister, and am so selfish sometimes. So many people are hurting out there, and I could do something, but I don't. I feel hate when I see discrimination for no real reason. How can I like anyone who does that, let alone myself. Dimmer is the only one on that show that knows what he's talking about. It's fine for you in that make believe world, but out here this world is horrible. People's hearts are as dry as the concrete streets they travel on. Dimmer hates himself too you know."

A shadow grew over Mike's facial features as he thought about Dimmer and philosophies.

"He just doesn't care that he does anymore. Sure he hates himself, but he hates everyone else just as much, cause their just as bad and sometimes worse. Though I don't see how it's possible to be any worse than some of the things I do. I guess Dimmer already managed to do what you're saying come to think of it, he hates everything he is, and he accepts that fact."

"I wish I knew how he did."

At DiC

"What!? How many experts do we have working on this? And this is what you come up with?!" Jamie was yelliong into his office phone, "Fine. I guess that only leaves us one choice. Alright, call me if you find out anything else."

Jamie hung up the phone. It was good news for his company at least, but what he wanted were answers. 

"Watch the show until it tells us."

That's what they came up with. They were only hoping the answer of how Dimmer got there, and his way out would show itself from inside the show itself. They were hoping the problem would rectify itself. That did mean though that the show would not be allowed to go off air. Also it meant that the copyright suits were all being negated, but Jamie decided to pay for it anyway. It would solve any hard feelings over this whole ordeal.

Endnotes: AAH! I missed my update! ;_; I'm sorry, but the only chances I got was when everything was down! This is the first chance I had. I haven't even been able to work much on chapter 24, but I do have a little done. Oh well same ol' scoop. 

Please review

And if you do

Uneditted future chapters

I'll send to you.

Okay my ryhming leaves a lot to be desired, that's why I have nothing in the poetry department here. Either way you get the idea. Hope you enjoyed this, but I think the titles of these chapters are getting too ummm… stupid? So I'll probably get offa the whole "a time to…" thing. How about for the next chap "Scout Fighter II alpha?" or "Sailor Combat?"

Don't forgets to leaves me a way to get a hold of ya if ya wants 'em chapters k b'y?

See yas!


	20. Happy Days

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

"So this is it." Darien opened the door and invited Serena in. 

"Wow, this place is really nice Darien, you live here by yourself?"

"Yup, have a seat, I'll fix us some tea or something."

Serena looked nevously around. There was no doubt in her mind that she stood in the apartment of her precious Tuxedo Mask. What was she going to say to him? She hadn't planned anything further than this. So how am I supposed to tell him?

Darien put the kettle on the stove, taking his time as he did it. He had questions, lots of them. But he didn't know how to put them in words. The kettle seemed to go off in record timing and he poured the tea and walked into the room.

"Thanks" Serena said nervousdly as she took her tea, anxious to take a sip so that she wouldn't have to talk.

Darien just nodded and sat on the couch. Both sat staring into their tea for the longest minute in the history of their lives. The akward silence seemed eat away at both of them.

Finally Darien sighed and put his tea down. "So how do we begin?"

"I'm not sure", Serena kept her eyes down, deliberately trying to stay away from his.

"How about question for question?"

"Sounds better than what were doing now I guess." She smiled sheepishly looking up at him, but still not into his eyes.

"Alright, you first or me?"

"I'll go. Are you really him?" She looked up, this time straight into his eyes, the eyes of her protector, the eyes of her teacher. It wasn't often she seen him without a mask and yet she knew, without even finishing his question, all uncertainty washed away…

"Are you really Tuxedo Mask?" 

It was hardly a whisper, but the words rang as loud as church bells to Darien Shields.

"Yes."

Serena nodded and sat up straight, waiting for his question.

"Where did you learn about Tuxedo Mask Serena?"

"He…" She stopped, laughing a little while correcting herself, "I mean, you, have saved me many times. With good advice, and with helping me out of the path of danger. Darien, I am Sailor Moon."

Darien was suddenly glad to have put his tea down earlier, he had a feeling he'd be wearing twice as many stains on his shirt by now.

"Well that certainly explains a few things" he smiled laughing at himself for not noticing earlier. "Well that tells me when she picked up the locket…" he thought to himself.

"Darien? How come you threatened us? You know we'd probably help you if your intenions are good."

"I uuh…" When did Serena get so good at asking questions? I'm not even really sure about an answer to that. "well I uuuh…" He stopped himself and calmed himself down a little, and thought to himself, "Why not just say it?"

"There's a long answer to that question Serena. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Mm Hmm" Serena nodded and set her own tea down.

Darien picked up his tea and walked over to look out his window as he gathered his thoughts.

"As you know, I am an orphen, my parents died when I was very young. I woke up not knowing who I was, only remembering my name. Lately though dreams have been coming to me. The same reoccuring one, about a princess that continues to cry out for me to help her."

"…the Moon Princess…" Serena whispered.

Darien nodded and took a sip of his tea before continuing, "I know they're only dreams, but something kept telling me she was real. For a while I was Tuxedo Mask and I didn't even know it. I saw Tuxedo Mask in my dreams, dancing with the moon princess, than strange memories of helping out the scouts kept entering mind. The only sensible answer was, I was this Tuxedo Mask. I learned to control my transformations. I keep the scouts at arms length because I don't want to see you girls hurt, and I don't want to be the one who has to hurt you. I will do anything to help the Moon Princess Serena. That even includes going throught the scouts if I have to."

"But its our mission to help the Moon Princess too!" Serena stood yelling.

"Wha?" Darien whipped around to face her.

"We don't know who she is, we don't know if she's in trouble, but we do know that she's the only one that can stop the Negaverse! We are looking for her just as much as you are. We should be side by side Darien! Fighting to find her, and fighting to protect her. We're both on the same side, there shouldn't be any reason for us to fight one and other. If we join forces though, combine our knowledge and crystals, we can beat the Negaverse! And we can find the Moon Princess! I just know we can!"

Darien was flabbergasted, (I always wondered if I'd ever get to use that word^^) The scouts and his goals were the same! They really could join up. He stood in silent surprise as all this new information started to sink in.

Serena, mistaking his lack of response for a negative answer, felt a tear run down her cheek. She didn't want to cry! She turned her face away from him to wipe the tears away and try to stop herself from crying. "I.. I know I'm not very strong… but.. but the others are, and everyone has started training…" she pleaded. "We could help… after some training, even I can help…if I train… please Darien...please?" 

She was surprised to find herself wrapped into Darien's arms. She turned around trying to take comfort in the arms of her protector. She cried herself out onto his chest.

Darien stood, holding Serena for what seemed like hours and seconds all at once. She looked up at him and smiled. He would never understand what it was about Serena's smile that seemed to brighten up the world, even one as gloomy as his. He sighed. "Tonghit just wasn't its night," he laughed as he looked down to his tear and coffee stained shirt."

"I guess not" Serena laughed a little in spite herself. She wiped her eyes with her hand as the two seperated. 

"Serena, things have been made mcuh more clear for me tonight. I will join up with the scouts to help find the Moon Princess."

"Oh Darien! Really?" If Serena's smile really could shine it would had lit up the all of Japan. As it was though, it certainly lit up the features of her face, and Darien could help but smile himself. "Yes Serena. When should we break it to the other scouts?"

"Tomorrow! As soon as we can! I'll let them know you're expected at the meeting." She reached into her pocket looking for a napkin from the shop, she pulled it out, but to her surprise Darien had snatched it away before she could blow her nose into it.

"What's this?" he asked holding up not a napkin, but a letter.

"Huh? I don't know, it wasn't in there before." She pulled out a real napkin and blew her nose into that. 

"It has my name on it…"

"Really?" her curiousity perked, "What's it say?" she leaned over his shouler as he opened it.

Dear Tuxedo Mask a.k.a. Darien shields.

I'm writing this to congratulate you on your allegience with the scouts. 

You are hereby welcome to train under the tutelage of our very capable instructers of the martial arts at the Hino temple. Class begins at 7:00am tomorrow morning please bring whatever is required of you to transform. 

Da man,

Dimmer A. Kitana.

"So that's his last name…" Darien heard Serena whisper under her breath. "I wonder what the A. stands for… He must have slipped this in my pocket when met each other by the shop. I didn't even see him get close to me…"

"One minute Serena there's more.."

Ps: If Serena is reading this over your shoulder, please be informed that Chad still expects you at 6:00am tomorrow morning for your class. Do not be late or you'll be training with my class.

Serena paled.

Darien laughed. "I guess training under Dimmer is harsh?"

"You don't know the half of it. 6:00am? I didn't even know there was such a thing, and I'll have to BE there at that time… Hey Darien are you going?"

"Why not? I'll see just how bad this training is. I've been taking lessons for a while now, I'll probably surprise him. You better get going, I have to study. Seeya later Meatball Head!"

Serena, in too good of a mood to start yelling just pulled her eye and stuck out her tonuge as she walked out the door. As it shut behind her she smiled. Was Darien ever going to be surprised when that boulder was coming for him… "I would have warned him if he didn't call me meatball head."

Serena met up with everyone at the shop, and told them what she found out about Darien, and how he was going to be training with them the next morning.

"So Darien is Tuxedo Mask huh?" Lita looked to Rei, "Looks like you struck gold girl!"

"Hardly, its obvious he's stuck on the Moon Princess. Whoever that is. I think him and I are about as far as we we're going to go."

"Does that mean he's fair game?" Mina smiled. She had seen him earlier, and knew a hunk when she seen one.

"Uh huh, but don't expect to get too far if he's pining over this Moon Princess."

"Well I guess that means you really do know the future Dimmer." Amy looked at him curiously.

"Not anymore. Like Greg said, fate's been changed. If the world's gonna survive this, things gotta be set straight." 

"Well girls, it's getting' late. We better be getting' home." Chad stood up, "It was a hard day for yas today, and it ain't gettin' any easier tomorrow. See yas in the morning."

The girls all said good bye and everyone went their separate ways.

The trio (Rei, Dimmer and Chad) walked home toward the temple. The sky was dark and the moon stood out brightly.

"It's a half moon now, it should be full in a week or two." Rei stated while looking up. 

"Should we expect any more craziness than usual?" Chad asked laughing.

"Wouldn't doubt it with us man." Dimmer growled as a streetlamp turned off on him.

"Well, we'll see when it comes." Chad shrugged.

"Dimmer, stop throwing rocks at the streetlamps…" Rei sighed exasperated.

Next Morning

Darien woke up to the sound of knocking on his door at 5:45am. He looked bleary eyed at his clock before getting up and putting his robe on. The knocking increased in volume and speed, each one pounding in his head like somone was drilling into his skull. 

"I'm coming! I'm coming! Just hold on!" He yawned and opened his door to see a young, vibrant, annoying blonde looking at him with a bright smile. Her smile was as bright as the sunshine.

At that moment, sunshine was the last thing he wanted to see.

"More night please." He said, confusing her completely before shutting the door in her face.

"Darien! We have training to do!" He heard Serena through the door. He mumbled a curse and reopened the door.

"No, my training doesn't begin until 7:00. YOU have training to do."

"Come on Darien, the early bird gets the worm!" She slapped his back. As she invited herself in.

He rolled his eyes and gave her a menacing look, before turning around and sulking back into his room, Serena following behind. He stopped her before entering his room.

"What are you doing Meatball Head? Are you going to watch me get changed too? If you don't want to be late, go make some tea for us both, and slip in some toast for me, I'd like something to eat first."

Serena blushed, realizing why he was heading back to his room now. 

"Uh yeah! Right! I'm on it!" She called out running to his kitchen. She looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. "Aww, I don't know where anything is!"

Darien sighed as he got on his clothes. It was going to be a long day.

At the Temple

Amy and Mina were crawling under a lot of strain with the new weighted chains, armlets, head gear, and boots that Chad usually trained with. Serena ran up the steps dragging Darien along behind her by his hand. He was dressed in an old gi, that was wrinkled to all hell, his hair was still mussed up, and his eyes were as red and tired looking as… Dimmer's, who was being dragged by his hand out of the temple, his own hair uncombed, and his gi looked slept in.

Darien and Dimmer just looked at each other as the girls that were holding them up raced together to talk about something neither of them were up to listening to. 

Dimmer smirked and Darien chuckled as they both fell flat on their asses now that the supports that were holding them up had left them.

"She forgot my coffee…" Dimmer smiled.

"She burned the bottom off of my kettle." Darien shook his head smiling.

"You win. Come on, we have another half hour, I know this nice little coffee shop that my friends at the police station told me about."

"Yes." Darien's response didn't make much sense, but it was too early in the morning for either to care.

They both stood up together and left everyone to go on a sacred quest for their morning coffee and tea.

Chad smiled and watched them go. Silly people, who needs caffene whe you have cheesy poofs. He smiled and reached into his pocket. His eyes went wide. As he patted himself down, "Dimmer!"

Dimmer and Darien had turned the corner. 

"Handfull?" Dimmer offered the cheesy poofs with a smirk.

"Yes." Darien took a handfull.

Chad watched them leave, the irritation quickly drained out of his face as he lifted up one of the statues in the yard to grab a hidden, full bag of cheesy poofs there.

Dimmer and Darien walked into the coffee shop. If they were awake they may have noticed the people stare at them in their unkept hair and gi. Of course no one argued with the two, considering both wore blackbelts and were ordering a morning coffee. Intsinct warned them not to.

"Coffee"

"Tea"

"He wants coffee."

"Tea"

"Coffee"

Darien felt his head slam into the counter and the word tea he was about to say, came out as an groan of pain instead.

The clerk decided to follow the more violent of the two's orders.

"Why'd you do that?!" Darien gave him a look that said, don't mess with a grizzly bear's morning routine.

"Their tea tastes like piss"

"I thought you said it was a nice coffee shop?"

"It is, try the coffee."

Darien took a sip and almost immdiately the red eyes disappeared and he woke up.

"Woah," he looked over at Dimmer with growing respect. "Not bad."

Dimmer simply smiled and downed his own in a gulp.

Chad looked at his three girls, who were puffing hard as Rei cheered on from the sidelines during her stretches. He quickly looked away from the sweaty, tired teenage girls.

"How the hell am I going to handle this for weeks on end? Come on Chad you got to be hard on them, just like Dimmer! Alright, but how?" He looked back at the girls and drooled a little. "I wonder what it would be like to have them do this all day." He smiled to himself.

"No Chad you can't think like that! You are their teacher! They trust and respect you! But maybe…" He smiled a little, and his face flushed, "That wasn't such a bad idea."

"Hey girls! I just came up with something brilliant!"

Serena and Amy looked at each other and goaned. The last brilliant thing he thought of nearly broke their ankles the day before. 

Mina looked up, "What is it Sensei?"

"Well you guys need lots of training to catch up right? I got just the thing, you can train all day!" He smiled cheerfully.

"What?! All day?" Serena looked at him incredously, she could hardly stand the last two hours, let alone all day, though she wasn't adverse to skipping school.

"But Sensai? What about school?" Amy questioned him while layng on her back, resting from trying to walk around with all the weights.

"That's the brilliant part, you do it while at school too!"

"You want us to where these things at school?" Mina, who was still trying to stand, fell flat against her stomach.

"Well, I'll lessen the weights but basically yeah, you'll be training and hardly notice it."

"But I can't where these ugly things to school!" Serena looked at him wide eyed.

"Dear Serena, you're soon to learn the the road of a matrtial artist is fraught with peril.

The three girls sweatdropped as Chad walked away.

"Well it isn't that bad Serena" Mina called over, "we can just hide them under our clothes today, and tomorrow we can decorate them like they are just accessories."

"Hey! That's a great idea Mina!"

"Yes, Mina that would help us camouflage them rather well, but we should learn to walk in them first." Amy panted out as she once again tried to stand up.

Lita was walking up to the temple as she saw Dimmer and Darien talking while they were waking up the street.

"Hi guys!" She called out and waved.

"Hey L:ita! Right on time. We'll start as soon as we get up there. What's in the bag?"

"Some snacks for later!." She winked, "Come on Dimmer," she ran up part of the steps and turned around, "I'm ready to work out!" She put on a determined look and ran up the rest of the stairs.

"Glad to see some one's a morning person." 

Darien just grunted and began the trek up the stairs.

Dimmer shrugged and walked after him.

When they got to the top Darien stared wide eyed at the girls as Chad was holding up Mina by the arms, and giving her tips on keeping balance with the weights. The other two were already walking wobbily around the grounds.

"If you can figure out your center of gravity, you can balance yourself out with the equal weights on either side. There, now hold still I'm gonna let go."

"Uuh, okay…" Mina wasn't so sure about this herself. 

Chad let go and she stood completely still, but she noticed she was staying up in spite of the heavy weights.

"That's it. Now remember where your center of gravity is while your walking and you can try to outrace the other two."

Mina just looked at him incredously, "You're just getting us back over last night's binge at the choclate shop with your card aren't you"

"Yup!" Chad closed his eyes as he smiled cheerfully and walked in the other direction catching Amy before she fell.

"How much do those things weigh any way?" Darien asked as he watched Serena fall and get back up, leaving a large hole in the ground where she had fallen.

Lita smiled beside him, and passed him one of the weights, Darien nearly fell forwards hold ing it up. 

"This has got to be 40 or 50 pounds!"

"60" Rei corrected him grabbing onto his hand to drag the stunned man toward the dojo. "Come on were starting now."

Dimmer was inside nailing up a sign. "Pick up the armor over in the corner Darien. Oh yeah, you're gonna have to turn Tuxedo Mask for this. Lita? Rei? You girls set?"

"Mm hmm" The green trimmed Sailor Jupiter responded while doing some stretches. Darien never noticed them go to get transformed.

"Ready when you are Dimmer." Sailor Mars called out after latching on the final part of the armor. "I'd still like to know where you got this stuff."

"I know you would. Darien? You done yet?"

"Huh?" Darien looked up at Dimmer stupidly. What kind of training required both armor and his transformation? Not to mention the large boulder hooked up to the roof…

"Come on monkey boy, you're holding everyone up."

Darien didn't respond, he simply pulled a rose out of the pocket on the inside of his shirt and transformed.

"Aww no fair!" Lita smirked, "I was looking forward to a show, but his cape hid everything."

Rei flushed, "Honestly Lita, I thought you were here to train."

"Stop yer jawin' and help monkey boy with his armor." Dimmer finally finished with the sign and came down the latter. Swiping Tuxedo Mask's hat as he walked by.

Lita just smiled, reading the sign out loud, "No top hats allowed in dojo"

Darien simply shook his head smiling, "Somehow, I think Dimmer's going to be picking on me."

Dimmer laughed, right before undoing the rope.

"Aaaugh!" Darien would've normally gotten out of the way in time, but the heavy armor he was wearing reduced his usual speed, resulting in him being fit fully during a half finished dodge.

Up on the staging Dimmer smiled. "It has begun."

Dimmer smiled at the kids, despite the heavy training with the girls that morning, he felt exhilerated instead of tired. He laughed as the preschoolers dog piled him. Chad was looking a little nervous, but the kids took an immidiate like to him and his long hair. His gutair was laid down over by the door still in its case.

Chad picked up the one climbing on his head by his ankle, and looked over to Dimmer, "Are you sure their ready for this?"

"Yeees b'y. I tell you these kids are learning like nuts!" Dimmer crawled over to Chad and whispered, "They maybe learning from me like the same way the scouts are", he looked down at the kid he was hanging upside down by his ankle and gave him a a playful growl, before getting pucked in the mouth by said kid.

Just than Miss Grant had entered the class room. "Alright children class is beginning."

Dimmer and Chad fell over as all the kids that were crawling over them were suddenly in their seats and saying as one, "Good Morning Miss. Grant!"

"Today, children were going to learn a song. Dimmer has brought a friend along to help teach you. This song will be sung at the winter carnival. It seems you all have learned the regular curriculum, that the school would like our class to represent us against other schools."

The kids all cheered. It would make their parents proud, it was a great honor, but more importantly they thought that it would be fun because it was Dimmer that picked the song. Not to mention, found it, and translated it. 

"Alright children, Dimmer and Chad are going to sing the song once for you to get the tune, and than we'll all practice off of the sheets handed out to you. Please listen closely. Dimmer if you will?"

Chad got up and got out his gutair and sat on an already set up stool. He started to tune it. Dimmer gathered the kids and made them sit down in a horse shoe shape around him on the floor. "Okay people. This song is called, "we're going to be friends," by White Stripes. I found the lyrics kinda fittin'… All set Chad?"

Chad gave him a thumbs up and started playing softly and cheerfully as he introduced the song.

In a cheerful childlike voice Dimmer starts to sing in time with Chad's gutair.

Fall is here

Hear the yell

Back to school 

ring the bell

friendly shoes

walking blues

climb the fence

books and pens

I can tell that we are gonna be friends

I can tell that we are gonna be friends

Walk with me

Suzie lee

Through the park 

and by the tree

We will rest upon the ground

And look at all the bugs we found

Safely walk to school without a sound

Safely walk to school without a sound

Here we are

No one else

We walked to school 

All by ourselves

There's dirt on our uniforms

from chasing all of the ants and worms

We clean up and now its time to learn

We clean up and now its time to learn

Numbers, letters

Learn to spell

Mounds of books

And show and tell

Playtime when we throw the ball

Back to class

Through the hall

Teacher marks out height against the wall

Teacher marks out height against the wall

We don't notice anytime pass

We don't notice anything~

We sit side by side in every class

Teacher thinks that I sound funny

But she likes the way you sing

Tonight I'll dream 

While I'm in bed

When silly thoughts 

Go through my head

about the bugs 

and alphabet

but when I wake

tomorrow I'll bet

that you and I will walk together again

I can tell that we are gonna be friends

I can tell that we are gonna be friends

Dimmer and Chad woke up out of the small world they entered to hear more cheers and applause than the preschoolers could have made. It seemed some of the other classes were disrupted, but instead of stopping them, they stood out in the hall and listened. Chad quickly stood up in surprise at the new audience, knocking the stool over into Dimmer, who tripped over it while he tried to stand, and was sent sprawling, head first, into one of the desks.

"Ugh…" Dimmer promptly fell unconcious.

"Oops…" Chad scratched the back of his head nervously.

"You seem ta be in a happy mood today there Dim. Any paticular reason why? Especially considering I just knocked you out twenty minutes ago…"

Dimmer was twirling around humming to himself. "Why not be Chad? A bump on the head never kept me down for very long. I get to help train the legendary Sailor Scouts, I have more friends now than ever before. I'm helping the scouts bring their future back in order. For once in my life I feel needed dude. Like I'm actually doing something, or I'm important to something. This never happened to me before. I can't help but like it here."

"Well Dude, your welcome to stay. Not like you could go back to where the hell ever you're from."

"Rather be here anyway Chad. Other than the music, the place sucked. Just wish I didn't have to do puberty all over again…"

"Ha, well can't have everything."

"What should we do to the girls next anyway? If they do this for about a week, they'll be the kickass scouts they wanted to be, if they keep it up longer than they'll be better than us."

"Well… truth of the matter is there's nothing like real experience. At the end of the week, we'll have them train against each other, than go out and put the training to use."

"Sounds good, but what do we do for real experience?"

"Get them to solve regular crimes maybe? It was what Mina has been doing since she started."

"She has?"

"Yup, why do ya think she became so famous?"

"It ain't a bad idea, we'll see what we can do about it. I'm gonna have to make some calls, I have an idea that might work out."

"I don't like your ideas, they usually involve a lot of pain and work."

"Shouldn't be too much pain in this one, just some extra money maybe, some connections, favoritism from the city, help locating Negaverse creatures too come to think of it…"

"All that good stuff has to come with a bad side. What is it?"

"The bad side?" Dimmer smiled, "The thing I got the idea from is an old television show, so it going to be horribly corny. And I plan on having the theme song playing all day. Come here." 

Dimmer whispered his idea to Chad.

"Oh no. That is not going to work! It can't!"

"You see a flaw?"

"No, but this isn't the movies and that is just waaay too weell… no!!"

"Face it, If we pull it off right, it'll work. And I know just the people I need."

"Dimmer, stop plotting. I Mean it! I hate it when you plot! Can't we talk this over?"

Dimmer ignored Chad's protests as he started to hum the theme song for ghostbusters.

This was going to be fun…

Sailor Moon says: "So now Tuxedo Mask has joined with the scouts! And he's training with Dimemr's group? Don't be too hard on him Dimmer! Today the scouts are training really hard to be better at defending off the Negaverse. It takes a lot of hard work and effort to become really good at something, but as long as you keep trying you're certain to someday succeed! Sailor Moon says!" Sailor Moon's voice giggled.

"Wow…" Mike rewound the tape to watch Dimmer twirling and humming to himself. "He looks so happy… so at peace with himself. I don't remember ever seeing him sooo happy."

"You're right, I hardly recognize him anymore. The Dimmer we know is slowly disappearing." Mitchell pointed out in his usual logical tone.

"Do ya think he'll ever come back?"

"Don't sound like he wants ta… He's better off there anyway. In a way I hope I never see him again face to face."

"Yeah, me too, but I still miss him."

"Meh." Mitchell shrugged. It's what he said and did when ever he was either wrong, things were getting too emotional, or just didn't care.

Mike was pretty sure it was the second one. "Dude? Wanna game of "Smash"?"

"Sure." They both settled themselves in for a round of Super Smash Bros. 

Endnotes: Does anyone even pay attention to these any more? I missed another deadline, and it was a short chapter besides. Fact is half of it was deleted, and I took a while trying to find someone with an original copy. But hey! Now I have my internet back, I should be able to keep up with my promises. Sorry to all those I sent this chapter to, I sent you only half of what it was supposed to be as you may have noticed upon reading it. Well hopefully it will explain anything in the future chapters that didn't make sense so far. Hopefully update next week. speak to yas than. 

Ciao!


	21. Sailor Fighter Alpha

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

A week had past and the girls and guys were all practicing. They were putting on some kind of small tournament in which the sensai were not allowed to participate.

Darien sat beside them holding his arm in a brace. He learned well this day that the gentlemanly way didn't stop the girls from causing him pain. 

Each teacher was shouting, encouraging, and coaching their own students. 

"Sorry Dim, Darien just couldn't cut it." Chad whispered looking at Darien with mild interest.

"Do you really think that dude? Come on, do you really think any of my students would go outta the fight jus' for some hurt arm? He's fakin' it. Darien was easily my top student, jus' kinda disappointed at the lame performance he put on." Dimmer whispered back. "Kinda feel sorry for Amy though, she trained hard for that fight."

"Don't sweat it Dim, the tourneys a long way from over, she's there in the next round, and I'm sure whoever she's up against will put up a helluva fight, unlike Darien…"

Darien looked on in interest as Lita and Serena were going hard at it in the outside arena they had constructed in the backyard. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was a mistake somehow, faking an injury like this, but he knew Amy didn't stand a chance against him, and he was really afraid of what he might've done to her. He could feel Dimmer and Chad's eyes on him. He was certain that they knew, not to mention Amy. He was just trying to do the right thing, but he felt somehow this was going to backfire on him in some way. "Dimmer and Chad must've arranged this for a reason… I just can't think of any of them that are worth risking any of these girls welfare…"

Lita winced as another of Serena's punches managed to get through her large amount of defenses. She couldn't deny the fact she was really starting to feel some of them now. Serena was just too quick to tag with anything. At first Lita was just trying to tire her out, but the endurance training Chad had put the girls on, was working especially well with Serena's seemingly endless energy supply.

Though Serena's attacks hadn't slowed she certainly felt the strain. She knew she couldn't keep up this pace for very much longer, but Lita was just starting to feel her combos. That wasn't on her mind though as she turned to face Lita. There was only one thought flowing through her mind.

"I have to prove to Darien that I'm strong enough to help!" As she thought it she unclasped the training weights still attached to her wrists, ankles, shoulders, and thighs.

Chad smiled. His best student was about to let the gloves come off.

Lita jumped back stunned, The weights fell to the ground leaving a small crater where they landed. "I can't believe it! Serena was just toying with me!"

Serena couldn't believe how much faster she had become, her body felt lighter than a feather as she sailed through the air. Since that second day the only time she allowed the weights to come off was to put more on. This was the first time in the last week she had taken them off. She went for a basic spinning air back kick. Lita took the kick trying to land her own punch into Serena's unguarded midsection.

Serena swung her other leg up to avoid Lita's punch, making her body twist in midair while still sailing toward Lita.

Lita smirked as the kick sailed past her head to the right and Serena's other foot to her left. She reached up to grab Serena by the shoulders, catching her mid air turnabout, and pushed forward, intending to slam Serena head first into the ground.

Lita suddenly felt Serena's legs lock into position around her neck, Serena's arms outstretched, clutching the ground in an effort to use Lita's downward thrust, and turn it into a fast paced cartwheel, Lita was hefted into the air by Serena's legs. Lita flew through the air into the temple wall, her own strength used against her. 

"Winner!" Chad called out as Lita eyes swirled in pain.

Dimmer and Serena ran over to check on Lita. 

"Lita! Oh Lita I'm sorry! Please wake up!"

"She's just a little out of it Serena, don't worry." He brought out some smelling salts and Lita woke up coughing. 

"Hey Lita how you doin'? Ya 'lright?"

"Yeah, Sensai, no problem, hey Serena great throw. Never even seen it coming."

"Yeah Serena, gee, I wonder where you might have picked that one up, wouldn't be from either Chun Lee or Sonja Blade would it?"

Serena just blushed, "You knew?"

"Actually I'm impressed, street fighter moves are exactly what I was using at your level. Just remember some of the moves on those games aren't realistic, and could break you for even trying to do them. If ya need any references ask me after the tourney and I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks Dimmer." 

"Serena! Ya gotta sit with Amy, me and Dim forgot to bring any pens and paper, so winners and losers gotta sit in corresponding places before we forget who won and who didn't."

"Okay Sensai!" Serena called back to Chad before running over next to Amy.

"Hey Lita, ya did good. Serena fooled ya good on that last one, but remember she wasn't used to of all that speed. There is always a way to win, all you have to do is see it and take advantage of it. You could have tried to move around a bit to try to keep her off balance."

"Oh, okay, I'll try to remember that. But it isn't looking good for your students Sensei, both me and Darien are down I don't suppose we're going to win."

"Gotta have faith girl, Rei's up next. We may yet."

"But she's would have to win three times in a row! Once against all of them!"

"You're forgetting Lita. Everyone else has been training a week for this, Rei has been training since she was old enough to walk, she may surprise you.

Rei faced off against Mina. Mina immdiately took off the weights, she hadn't done as well in her training as the other two. Against Rei she knew she'd need all the advantage she could get. 

Rei stood her ground, looking cautiously at the blonde. Mina's hair was splayed out in the wind as she took up a fighting stance. Rei's hair was done up in small, white piece of bandana, keeping it from going into her eyes.

Mina charged in.

"Ha!" Rei shot to the left, using the small amount of speed training Dimmer taught, that neither Darien or Lita had thought to use. The scene almost seemed to slow down as Mina ended up her first move way overextended expecting Rei to just stand there and take it like the other two.

"Hiya!" Rei brought her own fist forward taking Mina's mistake as her chance to strike. Mina found herself slamming into one of the trees. She was up and away just barely before Rei had put her fist through it. Mina came down on Rei as her fist got caught into the tree.

A shot to the stomach, a knee to the head, Mina brought both hands down to Rei's head slamming her to the ground before jumping away. Mina felt the bruised spot on her face with her hand. Her whole body ached from where she had hit that tree, she knew another shot like that and she'd be out of commission.

Rei, picked up a rock and threw it missing Mina completely making a small hole in the earth far below her. Another and another, all missing Mina as she spun in the air, landing and jumping back, by the time Rei was done with her attack the ground was littered with small craters. 

Mina landed gracefully, her arms spread out as if just performing moves to show off. Every one knew that that kinda stuff for any of the girls was just child's play now.

"Looks like your going to have to teach Rei a bit about accuracy there Dim."

"Really? I thought she did rather well. After all she just won. I'm going to go get her a drink of water."

"Huh?"

Chad turned his eyes back to the battle as Rei charged after Mina, who had taken to the air again. She once again landed gracefully, only this time when she went to dodge. One of the many little craters slipped her up, it was all the time Rei needed.

"YA!" Rei had kicked Mina into the air before jumping up after her. Mina heard herself grunt in pain from the kick, she looked down only to see Rei use a flying uppercut sending her further up into the air.

Rei grabbed Mina by the ankles before she flew too far out of range for hand to hand, and hurled her toward the ground.

Chad immediately flew out catching Mina before she hit the ground, he ended up hitting the ground first, breaking her fall. "You okay Mina?"

"Yeah… umm thanks.." Mina looked away from Chad blushing.

"Good, think you could help me up? I can't feel my legs."

Mina paled at this and quickly got off him and helped him to his feet.

"My turn to thank you eh?" Chad laughed, "ya did good. You've improved a lot. Rei caught everyone but Dimmer by surprise with that crater thing so don't feel bad alright?"

"Yeah I know. Don't worry about that. You're hurt."

"You ain't in perfect condition either girl. Besides that's what me and Dimmer were here for anyway."

Mina set Chad down on the ground where he was to begin with.

"That was one helluva throw there Rei, good job."

Rei smiled at Chad through her panting. 

"Hey Rei, here ya go."

"Thanks Dimmer." She took the water drank some and poured the rest on her forehead to get rid of the sweat.

"Nice tactics. You'll have to take Amy next. Be ready. She's a perfectionist, unlike Mina she wont take the time to do anything fancy with her jumps. Completely by the book, but don't underestimate her because of it. The book was made for a reason. All the tricks in it work."

"In other words, go unconventional?

"It's about the only way she won't have already figured out what you're going to do. She's memorized and is perfect with every written down strike, block, and dodge. But her main advantage is she'll know whatever move you're going for, just as if it was a chess game to her, or a game of go."

"What are the rules again?"

"Beaten to an inch of their life, into unconsciousness, help from outside interference for stopping near death or mortal injuries, or an obvious killing blow that you stopped yourself from delivering."

"I meant about area of the fight. Anywhere restricted?"

Dimmer smiled. Perfect strategy. "The inside of the temple, I don't think you're grandfather would appreciate us smashing things up in there."

"That's it?"

"That's it." He handed her a towel, and she dried off some of the water.

"Alright, I'm set, lets do this thing."

"Amy, Dimmer knows you, the way you think, the way you act. He knows what advantages you have over Rei. Expect her to be unpredictable, but every move she ever uses will still be based upon the books you studied. All of our basic styles come down to them. Instead of looking for the moves themselves, look for similarities. Watch out for the feints there's bound to be some in there."

"Got it."

"One moooooore thing. Leave the weights on, it worked for Serena as a surprise tactic. Taking it off now will just put you off balance. Plus, you're not likely to get too many blows in like the other girls. This way you have a bit more weight and power to the tags you manage to get through."

"Okay!" Amy got up to leave.

Chad pulled her down "One moooooore thing. You're shoe laces are untied."

"Oh… thanks."

After she finished tying her shoes, Amy got up and took a stance towards Rei.

"One moooooore thing!" Chad called from the sidelines. 

Amy looked at him a little annoyed.

"Kick her ass!"

Amy smiled, once again took up stance against Rei, Chad seemed to know exactly how to stop her from being nervous.

Amy and Rei ran at each other at the same time, suddenly Rei stopped and ran the opposite way.

"Huh?" Amy had to follow her. She watched as Rei ducked around the other side of the temple. Than the thought hit her.

"An ambush!" She jumped to the tree just in time to see Rei's round house swish through the place where her head had been. The force of the kick nearly made her fall out of the tree. Instead she used the extra propulsion to flip around the branch and land a heavy dropkick into Rei's gut, knocking her to the ground. Amy was on her in less than a second, but Rei had already managed to get up. It was punch against parry for every move they made. Amy read every move she tried, even the feints. 

Every now and than Amy would out do her and get a strike in knocking Rei's head back, and use the stun to get several light blows in. She wasn't as fast as the other two, but the extra weight supplied some knock back, to help for stunning effects.

Rei knew she would lose if she continued to fight like this , but Amy was blocking her off with tactical moves. Every time she tried to escape out of range a kick or punch was stopping her.

Rei thought for a second, of course. If she could just…

Amy punched and kicked all the while keeping an eye on her opponent. Her mind raced with the possibility of what moves to use, making the right decisions in split seconds, it was exhilarating. More so than any challenging test or quiz. She felt her mind was being put to full potential. But than something happened she did not intend. One of Rei's blocks turned into an arm lock, she was already in the reversal for it, but she couldn't help but notice her arm was lighter.

"The weights! She's taking them off!" Amy recoiled in defense allowing Rei the room she needed to get to a different terrain. She jumped to the top of the temple roof. Amy wasted no time in jumping after her. She couldn't allow her to find the terrain she wanted to fight in. She wasn't even half expecting another surprise attack. You never use the same trick twice, and Rei knew Amy thought it would be useless. She landed on the roof only to find herself slipping off.

"Some shingles are missing!" She looked up to see Rei launching an air attack throwing the shingles down toward her.

Amy brought up her arms and legs to defend against them, not having time, to get away, she knew doing it too hastily might just end up in her falling off of the now slippery roof. To her surprise none of the shingles had any effect on her. She got up to face Rei who smirked as all Amy's weights fell to the ground broken off of her by the shingles.

"Uh oh."

Rei came forward in a charge. The two met blow for blow, but this time Rei had gotten some strikes in. Amy felt her kidneys explode in pain, as Rei brought her foot into them. She couldn't do anything about the other foot coming up in her spin kick knocking Amy right off the roof. 

Dimmer was there, he caught Amy before she could slam into the tree she had swung from earlier.

"Well done Amy. Great maneuvering. Work a little on your strength though, without the weights you couldn't hurt Rei even when you did hit her. Never grow dependent on items that could be taken away from you."

Amy nodded. "Great job Rei. You win."

"Thanks Amy." Rei hopped down from the roof. "You did good too."

"Rei go rest up a bit. Your final match is with Serena is in ten minutes."

"Will do."

"Okay Serena. You're the pride of my students. If anyone can take Rei off her winnin' streak, you can. Take this ten minutes to stretch and train a bit without the weights, you're going to need every advantage."

"Right!" She immediately started her stretches. 

"Rei?"

"Yes Sensai?"

"You ready?"

"Yes Sensai.

"I can only tell you this Rei. Be ready, have patience, and strike hard. Serena will not improvise. She will make mistakes. She doesn't know her speed well enough, so she'll be a little off balance, and a little klutzy. But she will not give up. She's fighting for Darien's trust here, that will be your ultimate task. As long as she has a reason to keep it up, you'll never keep her down, and she'll learn from her mistakes, she'll get used to of her speed, and she will become so powerful, that improvisation will not be necessary."

"You give her too much credit Sensai. She's good, but no one's that good."

"I am, and so is she. There is much to be said for determination Rei. Don't underestimate Serena, or it will be you lying unconscious at the end of all this."

"Yes Sensai."

"Rei?"

She looked up to him.

"You can beat her. But the only way you're going to, is if you find a real reason to fight her, like she has to fight you. Find one." Dimmer turned around and walked toward the sidelines, where Mina was looking after Amy.

"All bandaged up Chad?"

"Yup. When'd you get so fast?"

"Huh?"

"You caught Amy faster than anything I could do."

"Strength isn't the only thing I train in Dude." 

"You don't train in strength," Chad said as he looked toward Serena and Rei taking up stances.

"All you train in is pain."

The words echoed in Dimmer's head. It was true, it was all he knew how to do. He could handle any kind of pain. Pain from muscles pulling, wounds, heart, soul, body. 

Pain…truly was all he ever trained in. 

Serena and Rei closed the distance in between each other immediately. Serena nearly tripped as she was closing in on breaking the sound barrier. Rei crushed her face into the dirt the moment her eyes were torn from her own.

Serena rolled straight into a tree with a loud CRUNCH. She stood up again a little wobbly, to find Rei come in laying it on to her. She dodged almost every blow but the ones she wasn't able to get away from had smashed her into the tree again and again..

Chad was already about to get up, but Dimmer held him down.

With a final punch straight to Serena's chest, Serena flew right through the tree.

"AAAAGGHH!" 

Serena once again slowly got up. Rei flew past the tree trying not to give Serena the chance she would need to get up. Too late.

Rei ran straight into a round house that knocked her straight up into the air.

"Darien…" Serena whispered before following, colliding with Rei in midair, as she drill kicked Rei back to the ground.

Serena rolled back to another fighting position.

Her arms and legs were all scratches with trails of blood starting to seep out.

Rei, who had her own wounds bandaged, got up with no small amount of force. Her fist from where she had puched through the tree trying to hit Mina, had started to bleed as the wound reopened. She felt every bruise Amy left on her ring sharp with pain. She remembered Dimmer's lessons. 

"Ignore it. They expect you to suffer from it, to not get back up. Don't do them any such favors. They'll mock you and than, when you get back up you can kick their ass into oblivion. Mock them when they've died. It is only than that you'll be able to spare the time to do it. and its only than when it won't come back to bite you on the ass."

His lessons were for fighting the Negaverse. But the very foundation of his training laid on ignoring pain, and exhaustion.

Serena rushed at her. "I can be strong!"

Rei blocked and tried to dodge, but the moment she was caught by one punch, she was caught with an onslaught of them.

Serena performed a cartwheel, smashing one fist against Rei as she brought it down, than smashing her with the other. Standing on her hands now, she brought both of her feet into her gut. Rei felt herself fly back. A small bit of air rushed underneath her she realized Serena's combination wasn't finished as she felt both of Serena's feet slam into her back sending her high into the air.

Dimmer looked on with a raised eyebrow before smiling. "Orchid offa Killer Instinct."

Serena's speed did break the sound barrier at that moment as she flew through the air. 

Rei heard a loud BOOM

Than felt what had caused it as a fist collided against her face, than an elbow, than another fist, and the other elbow, a knee, a foot, an knee, and she caught the other leg before it could finish the combo.

Rei threw Serena forward into the ground, right before Rei flying elbow dropped her.

They both got up once more. 

Dimmer chuckled to himself, "Combo breaker."

"Tuxedo Mask…" Serena was in tears as she rose to face a shaking Rei. "I am strong."

"Serena…" Rei whispered under her breath, "I don't want be your sidekick, I just want to be your friend."

They both rushed at each other, both wanting to prove themselves. Serena moving faster than sound, Rei an infallible cliff wall. 

The neighbor hood reported it as a supernatural disturbance when the resulting shower of dust clouded the temple grounds, and the booming noises cracked the windows of the nearby houses. They were, in a way, right.

Neither Rei or Serena had seen what the other had done during the fight. Neither of them knew when they had transformed, in the middle of the fight. But there could be no mistaking the mini skirts of Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars fighting on the temple grounds.

Dimmer and Chad were smiling. They had achieved the level of capabilities they were hoping for. Darien, Lita, Amy, and Mina all stood in shock. And on the temple roof cackled an old man. 

"I think this one will go into the record books." He laughed. 

The girls would be fine, they were just tired. 

There was only one thing on any of the scouts minds afterwards. Serena's leadership was never questioned again, when she stumbled out of the dust cloud laughing with Rei as she carried her friend on her back.

"I think it's time to propose my idea Chad."

"I can't believe you're going to even mention this."

"What idea? Dimmer What are you tow going on about."

"Crime stoppers."

"What?"

"I think I know." Mina put in. "Chad and I were talking about it. When me and Artemis were together, we didn't find to many youma, but we did solve a couple crime rings."

"Exactly Mina. If we do some stuff like that, You girls can get some real life training in, and help out some people while you're at it."

"And how exactly are we going to solve crimes Dimmer? We don't have the training for that kind of thing." Rei pointed out dramatically.

"We get help."

"Where from?"

"The police. They already trust you guys, and I ran the idea across Pidge and John, and they said that the government would go for it in a second."

"I get it now." Lita smiled, "The police do the detective work, and we help what they can't."

"Or emergency situations. We can help if there's some equipment gone haywire." Darien put in.

"Yeah! And people will trust us more, and we may get called if the Negaverse attacks." Serena squealed excitedly.

"I don't know Serena. You girls… I should say people, are going to be right in the public eye. That might get people trying to find out who you are." Luna wasn't so sure on this idea.

Artemis had stayed quiet over on Dimmer's lap. He didn't intend to open his mouth until next winter. "Maybe I can stay out of trouble a bit more that way." He still stared a little longingly at Luna when she wasn't looking. 

"Already figured out Luna, knew you'd bring it up. You guys already got communicators right? Well all we need is someone to answer the phones. They can send us the call. And with the person I got we can take calls directly from the public and he'll be able to tell us if the calls are legit or not. We'll only accept the ghost stories from public ,but I the police need us it will be put on an emergency beeper for him to send to us."

"Who is this guy? Can we trust him?"

"We already do Luna."

"We do?"

"Umm… Hello," A young man with his arm in a sling opened the door to the dojo, "the old priest told me you were expecting me. Dimmer? Are you here?"

Amy was up in a second to hug him. "Greg! You're going to take the calls?"

"Well, I figured it was the least I could do. I'd be able to tell if whatever unsolved mystery actually involved the Negaverse by talking to the people involved. Dimmer said I was the obvious choice."

"But what if it it turns out to be an actual ghost? They do exist you know, I've ran into a couple." Mina asked a little perturbed.

"That's what I'm here for." Rei smiled. "And if its too tough for me, Grandpa would be happy to help. The only reasons why these souls remain, is because no one seen them off properly and unfinished business. As priestess off the Hino Temple, I have to look in on these things anyway."

"Then its settled. Dimmer's idea works. We fight crime, ghosts, and the Negaverse!" Serena called out cheerfully. "Heck with this, we won't even have to go out on patrols!"

"Yeah really, with the entire city watching out for us, we're bound to find them. Dimmer how quick can we put this together?"

"I'll call John tonight. Hey Chad where you going?"

"I uuuh… well… ummm, I got something I gotta tell my folks. It's been awhile since I was talking to them."

"They might have something to say about your new accent," Lita laughed.

"Who are your parents Chad? What do they do?" Mina asked

"Umm well… they really aren't much, just business people really. A lot of work in America and here. They spend their time over there though…" Chad looked away sheepishly.

"Really? My parents own a restaurant over there." Lita smiled. "I wish I seen them more often, but I'd rather be here with you guys anyway.

"Hey yeah? What's the restaurants name? Where at?"

"China Town, Manhattan. Its called the Canton." 

"Isn't that Chinese?"

"Most Americans can't tell, and everything else seemed copyrighted."

"Cool, I'll get Ma and Dad to drop by some time."

"Alright" Lita laughed, "I can tell my parents I'm finding customers for them all the way over here."

"Yeah, I guess you can." Chad laughed and inched away nervously and was out the door without another word.

"Well Dimmer, go make that call now. I want to check out the new Sailor V movie coming out!" Serena said.

Mina blushed as all the other scouts looked straight at her. She smiled a little embarrassed, "Ummm isn't that supposed to be rated 18 or over?"

"Don't worry, the theatre here never holds it against the sweet, innocent girls" Serena waved it off.

Dimmer looked up to think. "Hey yeah? You guys really going to see that? Supposed to be a lot of gratuitous nudity in that one. Didn't think yas were mature enough to handle something like that." He laughed and than was quickly hit with Rei's shoe.

"Are "you" of all people, trying to call us immature?!"

"Uhh… point…" Dimmer shrugged sheepishly.

Mina's blush had turned a deep red, and she inched herself to the door the same way Chad did earlier and than out it in a flash. Watching a movie based on her having gratuitous sex wasn't her idea of a good time. That's when she heard Chad's voice.

"Listen Dad, you don't wanna mess with these girls, haven't you watched the news?"

"Never mind the accent! I'm serious."

"I'm part of it! Are you going to make me disappear too? Besides they're all my friends!"

"Good. Alright than. It only has to be for a little while. Has that list of things I ordered come in yet?"

"Of course I need them! It's the world at stake here!"

"Well some one's gotta!"

"I don't care if a hero can save me, I'm not gonna just stand here and wait! Not if there's something I can do!"

"I can so do something, especially if that stuff comes in."

"It has arrived already? Good, yas better pull out for a while, I mean it Dad."

"Right, hey you know there is a restaurant called the Canton right in Manhattan ever hear of it?"

"Have ya ever eaten there? I know the daughter of the people who run the joint, I think you'd enjoy it."

"Well yeah, she is a friend of the family I guess, she's one of my students."

"You'll put it under protection? Thanks, I think…."

"Yeah, was nice talkin' to you too. Say hi to ma for me."

"See ya." Chad hung up, and leaned back against the wall and sighed.

Mina was hiding behind the corner.

"Just what kind of stuff? Just who are your parents?" Mina thought to herself not noticing Dimmer walking in.

"Hey Mina is Chad offa the phone yet?" Dimmer asked without thinking.

"Dimmer!" Mina gasped in surprise before seeing an even more surprised Chad staring at her. 

The three stood in silent contemplation staring from one to another. Not knowing what the other knew or not. The awkward silence was so loud it drummed upon the ears of those caught in it. Dimmer broke the silence with a single sound.

"Meow?"

Both Mina and Chad face faulted. Chad. Shaken out of the stupor form the fall, answered, "Yeah Dimmer, the phone's free. Mina has decided to come with me tonight for a drive on the Harley, you don't mind do ya?"

"Huh?" Mina looked up stupidly, "Oh! Yes! That's what I'm doing, sorry no gratuitous sex for me tonight!" She laughed nervously.

"Oookay…" Dimmer looked at them both like freaks, and coming from Dimmer that was pretty bad. "I think I'll call John now… get outta my temple!"

"Right." Chad grabbed Mina's hand and pulled her roughly to the door, Don't wait up!" He shut the door.

Dimmer's eyes widened a little at Chad's statement, and his rough handling of Mina… 

"I thought she said no gratuitous sex?" he shrugged and turned back to his phone call.

"How much did you hear?" Chad asked quietly his back faced Mina.

"Enough… Your parents, their smugglers?"

"Hmph, hardly. They control much more than a bit of a smuggling operation, Mina."

"Yakuza…"

"Yes. I told them to do their business elsewhere. I don't like what they do, but I don't want to see them hurt. You guys may put them outta business. Guns aren't that easy to get over here, because my parents don't like the idea of them getting over. Often their operatives are giving anonymous tips to the police about shipment of weapons. They do a little bit, but only with people they can trust. They aren't the monsters people make them out to be. And should they go down, there are a hundred others willing to take their place who would turn Japan into a war zone for a little extra cash."

"And what sort of shipment came in for you?"

"Mina, you never seen me in a fight. Unlike you girls, I have no transformation. Guns and explosives are my best chance at hurting them."

"If you aren't powerful enough, don't face them! Leave it to us!"

"And let some hero do it? No way! I'm not gonna stand here and wait for you guys if there's trouble I can help with!"

"But you're putting yourself at needless risk!"

"What's needless about protecting my friends? And you guys are taking the same risk I am. I nearly beat Sundown in a fight all by myself! Can you say the same Mina?"

"I've never even seen Dimmer's other transformation, how can I say?"

"Pray that you don't. I seen him transform. It's cool, but not pretty. But more than that, its powerful. The only reason I stood a chance was my weaponry, and an underestimation on his part. And despite your training. I think Sailor Venus would have a hard time fighting Dimmer himself, let alone Sundown."

"I see. Well than can I judge if you have the right weaponry to help or not?"

"Dimmer has already given it a looksee. No one else knows about my family though. Only you."

"I'd like to make that decision on my own please."

"What do you know about guns?."

"I spent a lot of my time tracking them down, you learn things. Like where people will usually carry them," She twisted Chad around and grabbed his pistol form the back of his coat.

"How to use them." She checked the magazine to see if it was loaded and re-locked it into place. 

"What to look for in them, like balance, weight, the extra options like scopes and different types of ammunition, and silencers." She gestured with Chad's pistol, which happened to have a silencer on it. 

"In most of them I can tell if they've been modified, or where that type would usually be found, or who'd usually be carrying it. Like this one is military grade, and I'm rather curious how you got your hands on it. I'm also a pretty good shot" she shot the silenced pistol, picking off a few hairs on a stunned Chad's head.

"… Give me that!" He snatched the pistol from her hand, and pushing it up against her head, and in a very menacing, quiet tone spoke into her ear, as he pushed her up against the temple wall.

"So you know what they're like? Have you ever had a barrel of the gun pointed straight at your head? Sure you'd survive as a Sailor, but your not a Sailor right now are ya? Have you ever felt a freshly fired gun in your face? How the barrel burns at the touch? Have you?"

Mina giggled and pinched his nose, and whispered into his ear. "You know your whole intimidation factor wouldn't have been ruined, if you had the safety off."

Chad face faulted. And turned back to his bike. "Fine, but your going to stick out like a sore thumb in the red light district…" It was his last hope of getting her to back off. The red light district was famous for the cheap hotels and prostitutes on the corners. Mina looked like your average prep.

"I got a couple of things I can wear. I've been under cover there before."

Chad shook his head, a little in admiration. Just what had she been doing as a sailor scout? Hunting down every gun in Japan?

"You'll have to stay on the bike, they don't like strangers. I'll do the pick up and head out to my cabin. My main stash is out there."

"Okay, but drop by my apartment first. I have to change."

"Zoicite! Just what are you asking?!"

"My Queen. The Sailor Scouts took out many of our youma and newly discovered nightmares, and always seem to know where we are. I fear my strength will not hold out against them further. I will need help or they may steal the other crystals away once we gather them. I have already located the rest of the crystals, but if they all show up the youmas are as good as healed or dead. I've expended much of Talenite's resources, and summoned nightmares. Ambushes, do not seem to effect them, and now they start to set up some of their own. The number of allies grow, they were up to seven when this new Daybreak character came in during the last fight, and now you tell me that our scouts say the other sailor scout they have been watching has disappeared? Is it not expected she will join with the others? That will make the odds 8 to 1 my Queen, for Talenite only cowers should the battle not go our way. Those are not good odds my Queen, even for me."

"No General of mine has ever asked for any kind of assistance before. It surprises me how powerful these new allies must be. Very well Zoicite, take Malachite with you next time. No more attacks directly for the crystal, we'll just lose it if we underestimate them once more, instead focus once more on energy. I believe we'll need more information before going after the crystals again. Test them, prod them. Send as many monsters as we can, none of these battles will we win, I am assured, but record their progress and bring it to me. Summon Talenite for me. I must have a word with him."

"Yes my Queen." Zoicite disappeared. She returned to her own quarters, wiping some of the nervous sweat off of her forehead. Beryl was so unpredictable, she wasn't sure if she was going to make it out of there alive. She waved her hand in the air and a wisp of black energy became a cloud with the transparent face of Talenite in it.

"Queen Beryl wishes a word with you Talenite. It may be time for you to pay for your cowardice do you think?"

Talenite's eyes opened wide in fear, and quickly teleported to the Royal Chamber. Head bowed, he groveled against the ground. "Yes my Queen?"

"Talenite, you have brought to us a rare gift in your summoning abilities. I wish to learn how. You will teach me." Her eyes narrowed, "Will you not?"

"Of course my Queen."

"Very well. Tell Zoicite you will no longer be needed at the battle sites. Help her with the battle tactics, and summon the nightmares she may need. All other time you have will be spent with me. Understood?"

"Yes. I understand and will do your bidding."

He teleported away to relay his Queen's orders.

"And after that we will no longer require your services." She laughed loudly echoing through the bitter cold recesses of her chamber.

"It is about time I took matter into my own hands. We will see just what we can do about these scouts and their allies. We have time. And with the energy collected in these battles, we will be able to do something that the scouts will not expect…" A plan was already forming in her mind. 

"After we gather the information. Than will I unleash the true power of the Negaverse."

"Hi again! Sailor Moon here. Wow the Sailor Scouts have gotten very strong haven't we? And I've finally proven myself as leader! But remember, being the best doesn't necessarily mean you should be the one to lead everyone else. The Sailor Scouts chose me to be the leader way before our training. We don't choose the people we want to follow us, but it's the people themselves, who choose who they want to follow. "

"Look at Chad! He doesn't follow anybody, for any reason, if it doesn't make sense to him. We can't expect to have everyone follow our orders without question or reason. If this is why you're being followed, you're not leading, you're just being bossy. Sailor Moon Says!" She giggled.

Reality:

Mike turned off the show. "Damn. Even in that world." 

Mike was thinking about how it had focused on Dimmer between one of the fight scenes. He too thought of what Chad said. "Pain is all you ever train in." 

Chad didn't know what he was saying. Pain was, for a long time, all Dimmer ever knew. The running, the beatings, but mostly the mental pain that came with everything he did. He always blamed himself for everything, especially the trouble that others went through when he was around. Dimmer always felt like he should do something, but instead took a page from Mitchell's book, and tried his best to ignore it, but ignoring hurt Dimmer too, it made him regret it, and he always wished he had helped them when he had his chance.

It was always a no win situation. Someone was always going to get hurt, and that sucked. Of course pain is what Dimmer trained in, it's what he knew best. 

Mike berated himself. How come he never forced Dimmer to let him help him? He should have. 

"And now even in that world, all you ever feel is pain…"

Endnotes: 

Yeah! A new review! I'm so sorry I haven't answered ya yet, I almost always email back to the people who review. The problem is, I'm in some of he final projects of my digital animation course and have been having quite a time of it lately. Oh yeah, for all of you reading that wanna take the extra time, there is a picture of Dimmer as he first arrived in the Sailor Moon world, located at mediaminer.org, there's also one of Talenite there. I use the same pen name and the same title to the fic there too, so it should be simple to find. Anyway, more animation to get to, so ciao!

Oh yeah! Keep reading and reviewing!!


	22. The Cold Hours of Daybreak these titles

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

Mina was dressed in a black leather mini skirt and a top that was leaving very little to the imagination to what lie underneath. Her hair was tied into a pony tail and was tied again in several places as it trailed down her back. Every eye had turned to her as Chad had parked into the alley. One guy had the balls enough to actually start hitting on her, no others decided to try their luck after Chad had broken the guy's wirst.

Instead they laughed at their failed comrade as he screamed on the concrete. No one was stupid enough to mess with him. The Yuuichirou family was not one to cross. Not that anyone would try anyway. Chad's alter ego had been making a bit of a name for himself out on the street to the worst of those out there. Known assassins that had crossed his family, or those who would dare sell their merchandise to kids were disappearing quickly.

For awhile he'd lived on the streets. It was when he'd found out about his family business. It was also when he had first been invited into the temple. He no doubt had a crush on Rei at the first sight of her, but he never had the guts enough to do anything about it. He wasn't a fool either. He was pretty sure he lost what little chance he had. He seen many times the look Rei often sketched on her face at the mere mention of Dimmer's name, it was often one of worry, or one of thoughtfulness.

Chad also knew Dimmer. He knew he could tell Rei had feelings towards him. He never seemed to miss anything. He had the chance Chad always dreamed of, but he never took it. Chad knew Dimmer had similar feelings towards Rei. What he couldn't figure out why he wouldn't express them. He never seemed to have that problem before his memory returned. Something had changed about him, it didn't seem like much now, but there was hurt there, where there wasn't any before. Each smile he made was put on, it wasn't a full complete one, like the ones before, it was only on the surface, and usually fleeting. Almost to tell them that he remembered how, and not to worry. It didn't help.

"Yuuichirou!"

"Huh? Wha?" Chad snapped out of his thoughts.

"Pay attention man, here's the stuff."

"Thanks. Did ya get the communicators?"

"It's all there. Even the gadgets."

"Cool. Keep the peace man."

"Sure thing, What are you doing with all these things anyway?" The guy chuckled.

"For a friend…" Chad walked back to the bike. "Ready to go out the cabin?"

Mina simply nodded. Despite having done such things before, she was still nervous, and shy.

He whispered into her ear as he went to get on the bike. "Hang on tight, these guys are mostly impressed by fancy exits."

Mina's only response was wrapping her arms underneath his, and clutching tightly as Chad put the helmet on.

Chad tried desperately not to think too much about it, as he squealed the tires, skidded out onto the road in heavy traffic, and kicked the bike into high gear, taking the next turn out of view of the now cheering and shouting guys in the alley. It wasn't until he was out of their view he started to slow down, fitting into the traffic flow around them.

"Was that really necessary!" He heard Mina yell out.

"Hey I have a rep to keep up. Though having a hooker hanging on to me, may not be helping it.

"I'm not a hooker!"

"That's what you say, but not your clothing, and guess which one those guys in the alley are going to listen to."

Mina shrugged and leaned in a little closer to his back to get out of the wind. Right now she didn't care too much, her chosen attire didn't help keep the wind out very well. Did he just shiver?

"How far to your cabin?"

"Another half an hour."

"I'm going to freeze!" 

"Shoulda thought of that before. One minute and we'll pull over in the next garage station. Did ya bring any other clothes to change inta?"

"No, I didn't think too."

After they pulled over.

"Well, ain't much I can do for your legs, but here wear my jacket over your top. It should help a bit."

"But what about you?"

"It wasn't me having a fit on the bike. Just put it on and lets go. I would like to get some sleep today."

She put on his large leather jacket. It weighed heavily on her when she realized he had twice as many weights in there, as he normally had them wear. She was reminded of how easily he wore it too, as if it was just your normal coat, but she could already feel the warmth from the coat seep in, the weights only added to it. She undid her hair to her usual style than sat once again behind him holding him as tightly as before.

"Gotta keep focus, gotta keep focus," Chad's mind chanted as he tried not to feel his body, and concentrate on the road as he drove. Several times, his mind had to steer away from the arms wrapped around his chest, and even more he had to steer it away from her chest pressed hard against his back. He imagined their postioning on the bike, "I am so glad she isn't driving…"

"This is … nice…" Mina snuggled up to him a bit more "Huh?" Now I'm sure he just shivered. "Are you cold?! You're shivering!" She called out to him a little worried.

"No! No, I'm fine!" Chad squeaked out, his body turning a tint of blue without him realizing it, as she pressed in closer, obviously trying to keep him warm.

"I don't know how I'm goin' to survive this," He wimpered to himself as they took off down the highway.

It didn't feel like it was that long before Mina and Chad made it to the cabin, and Chad took off the helmet, and turned to face her. 

"Well, this is it. Mina?"

She was now just staring at Chad straight in the face, and he was getting a little nervous.

"Chad!" She seemed to shake out of her stupor, and quickly took the heavy coat off of herself before frantically putting it on him.

"Huh?"

"Come on!" She pushed him to the door, "Hurry and open the door! We have to get you in there!"

"What's with this rush Mina?" He cautiously pulled out his keys and flipped through them. Hmmm… I must be better than I thought at that not feelin' stuff, I still can't seem to feel my hands… He opened the door and was promptly pushed into one of the bedrooms by Mina.

"Hey! I thought you wanted to see the guns and stu…" Chad let the sentence go as he looked at the mirror in the bed room. His face and lips had a light bluish tint to them, and he suddenly realized the true reason he couldn't feel anything was his entire body had gone numb. He plopped down on the bed still staring at the mirror in shock, while Mina quickly made him lie down and put the large amount of covers over him. She than ran to the other bedroom to get the blankets off that bed too.

"Damn it! I just met this guy a week ago and he's done nothing but help and tutor me, and what do I do? Make him catch hypothermia because I wouldn't butt out of bussiness that wasn't mine!"

She remembered how he was always there to catch her and her new friends before they fell to the ground. How he near killed himself just trying to save her from that fall she had while fighting Rei. His embaressed looking away whenever a situation occurred where he was caught staring at the three of them. It made Serena and Amy a little nervous at times, but she didn't mind so much. It must be hard on him having to train three girls not to far from your own age, that were known as some of the most stunning around. Besides he seemed like he was starting to get used to of it now anyways. How he helped all of them heal from their own injuries that had occurred from under his training.

She liked him because he seemed normal.

Not like her other Sensei. Dimmer never paid the slightest attention to ANY of them that way. She heard Lita and Serena talking about Rei and him being together, but she knew it wasn't true. Dimmer was keeping his distance from everything, she saw the look of cold detachment from time to time as he watched the girls take on the large boulder, that was now moved to the outside, and hooked up to a pulley system using an old sturdy tree.

Chad said she would never want to see his transformation, there was the concern of a friend in those eyes as he said it. He cared deeply for Dimmer, she could tell, and Dimmer "seemed" to care back, but other than the smile and smirk Dimmer always seemed to wear, she could never seem to see any other reaction from him.

Mina had been keeping Chad warm by completely wrapping him in blankets, and she went out to put the kettle on. She searched the cupboards and managed to find a hot lemon drink. 

"Perfect" She thought to herself.

After she finished making the drink, she came into to see Chad sleeping peacefully. She quickly woke him up.

"Chad? You're going to have to stay awake for awhile okay? Don't let your self fall asleep. Please drink this okay? Do you feel this?" She squeezed his arm, and Chad groggily shook his head before taking a sip from the scalding lemon tea. Trying to stop himself from shivering so violently, so it wouldn't spill.

"You've lost feeling in your arm, is it like that all over?"

"Mmm" Chad nodded trying once more to get near the contents of his cup. This time though he found it much easier, Mina noticed.

He had stopped shivering 

"Chad?"

He looked up. 

"Yeah?" He was really starting to feel much more warm.

Mina put her hand on his forehead, he was burning up. She knew that his shivering stopping wasn't a good sign, she had taken a course before and it explained the different stages of hypothermia and how to recognise the symptoms.

"Stay still, and no matter how hot you get, do NOT take off these blankets alright?"

"Uh okay, but I think I'm getting' better" He laughed, "See? Stopped shivering."

"Put your arm back under the covers. You must keep warm, please? Trust me?"

"Well, okay, if you say so… but really I.."

"I say so! Don't move! Alright?"

She left the room before he could reply. Hot water bags, chocolate to keep his energy up, warm towels to keep the head warm, she raided his house for anything that would keep him warm. She came back in the room to catch Chad dosing off.

"Chad! Wake up! Please?"

Chad's only response was kicking a few of the uncomfortable blankets off in his sleep.

"Chad…" Mina gave her sensei a sad glance before a look of determination crossed over her features. If he continued to kick off the blankets, he may very well die that night. She picked up the blankets and rewrapped them around him. Than she wrapped the hot water bag in the towels and put it to his forehead. She than got under some of the blankets herself. She had taken all the blankets form the other bedroom, so she'd freeze that night if she didn't. She also didn't want Chad to throw of the blankets that were on him, so she thought that maybe this way she could keep the blankets around him, get some sleep herself, and keep them both a little warmer. Her mind told her all the logic behind this, but it didn't stop her from hesitating before lying down. She also ignored the fact that her mind that told her she was a little too happy with this situation. After all right now all she should be thinking about Chad not herself right?

"Right," She answered her own thoughts as she cuddled up to her sleeping teacher. She couldn't stop from falling asleep with a small smile despite the danger to Chad's life.

"I think I can understand why Mina skipped out on us now…" Amy wore a very red shade on her cheeks as she walked away from the theatre with Rei, Lita, Dimmer, and Serena. 

"I didn't think they'd actually show that…" Serena giggled. She hadn't stopped giggling since the first sex scene.

"Well what did you expect? Rainbows and lollipops?"

"Dimmer's right Serena, they don't make it restricted because two people kiss."

"Right, right." Serena waved off Lita's comment, "Hey did you see the awesome tricks she was doing?"

"Serena you can do better. Those effects were so outdated anyway. Tell the the truth I was seriously disappointed. I was expecting something at least a little bit 21st century…"

"Actually Dimmer, technically speaking were not in the 21st century yet."

"Uuh… Yes we are… Aren't we?"

"… Dimmer? What year is this?"

"2002… isn't it?"

"What?! Are you crazy? It's 1996!" Rei shouted backing up a step.

Dimmer looked down at himself. "… 1996? Yeah 16 sounds about right." He sighed, "I always was a shrimp."

"Awww poor Dimmer." Lita mused as she messed up his hair.

"Hey! Cut it out!" He swatted her hand away. "You may be taller now, but my regular height is Sundown's and he towers over you. (in case you're wondering Dimmer only got about about two inches on Amy)

"Yeah but your so much more cute this way!" Serena was already running.

"I AM NOT CUTE!! OH YOU ARE SO GONNA DIIIIEEEE!!!" Dimmer was hot on her trail.

"Well looks like we won't be seeing them for awhile." Lita watched them turn the corner.

"No kidding, Do you think she'll ever learn Amy?"

Amy just laughed, "Somehow I doubt it Rei. But it's you whose going to have to calm him down when you get home."

"How the heck am I supposed to do that! He'll probably go pound on that rock, until his hands are bloody, and than throw up on account of them."

"Is he really that bad with blood?" Lita asked, with a smirk

"It was what was keeping him unconcious the whole time at the hospital."Amy shook her head.

"Oh trust me girls. It's that bad." Rei sighed irritabily. 

"Well you better go meet him at the dojo before he gets the chance Rei. Lita and I will look around for Serena."

"Right see you later!" Rei waved good bye as she started to jog ahead of them.

"What do you think he's going to do to her?" Lita asked laughing a little nervously and waving at Rei.

"Serena meant it as a joke. He'll respond in kind, only in about ten fold as bad. He'll probably know we'll be looking for them too." 

"What does that mean?"

"It means that for Serena this does not bode well," Amy sighed.

"No Dimmer! I was joking! Really! Please! Anything but that!" Serena was backed up against a fence, when the streetlight above her flickered out.

Serena felt the hands reach out to grab her, and she screamed. Her voice echoed throught the silence of the night streets.

"NOT THE HAIR!!!"

"Dimmer you can't leave me like this!"

One look at the diabolically evil Dimmer smirking at her told her she was wrong.

"I'm wearing a skirt! What if some hentai comes around and looks up?!"

"I'm sure the others will find you first… at least I hope so…" Dimmer shrugged.

"Dimmer please? I'm your friend right? You can't do this to meeee!"

"No friend of mine calls me "cute" without rectification. We can be friends again after they get you down." Something caught his attention down around the corner of the street.

"Diiiimmeeeeeerrr!!!"

"Later," Dimmer walked away, and the streetlight flickered back on just in time for Amy and Lita to come around the corner and see Serena flailing her arms and pleading to someone who had obviously already left. She was being suspended from the ground by her often mentioned meatball like hair style that was currently knotted around a flickering streetlight.

Amy was dumbfounded, and Lita was wishing she had a camera,.

"Somebody get me down from heeeeeeeeeeeere!!!" Serena continued to flail. Amy tried to comfort her as Lita started to scale the pole.

Dimmer hung up his coat and was still grumbling about a certain "c- word". He walked to the entrance of the dojo only to see Rei blocking his way.

"Dammit!"

"Watch your mouth in the temple! And if you think your going to train until you're bleeding and make me clean up the mess again, you better have another thought coming!"

"Ummm… sorry?" Dimmer backed up quickly putting his hands in front of him as if they could somehow protect him from whatever scolding he was about to receive.

"Sorry? Sorry! Do you think that fixes things?! You better either get over this blood problem, or your masochism attitude! They don't work together!"

"Who asked ya? What the heck are you doing here? I thought you'd be out trying to find Serena after what I done to her…" He stopped and covered his mouth. He did not mean to say that. He winced waiting the oncoming storm of fury. He slowly opened his eyes after a few moments after the shouting seemed to stop. Had the storm some how passed by?

"JUST WHAT DID YOU DO TO SERENA?!"

"Nope still there," he smiled as he took off down the hall at his usual break neck speeds.

"Oh no you don't!" Rei shouted chasing after him.

Dimmer laughed as he jumped unto the roof of the temple and kept the pace up. How had this happened? They were just in the middle of a fight. Dimmer could usually count the few times he actually truly smiled throughout the day. Now was one of those times, and it seemed like it was happening more and more lately. He smiled as he ducked under Rei's punch, and flipped out of the way of the oncoming combo strikes. This was fun. He could actually see why Ranma did it...

"What's a matter Rei? Havin' a bit o' trouble?"

"You jerk! If I found out you hurt Serena!" She managed to grab hold of his arm, lifted it up and kicked into his kidneys.

"Oof!" He laughed out. "Hey don't be so rough."

"Are you making fun of me?! You are so dead!" Rei couldn't help but smile. She had no idea how Dimmer actually managed to turn this into a game, but that's exactly what he had done. He hadn't done anything like this since he had regained his memory. 

"Better not let it go to waste than."

"Let what go to waste? Did I miss something again?" Dimmer stopped and gave her a puzzled glance.

"You certainly did! Hiya!"

Dimmer caught Rei's foot in the face and fell off the roof.

"Ow!" He now had a splitting headache, but the smile on her face had made it quickly dissapate. Especially knowing it was him that brought it about. He started to wonder as Rei helped him back onto his feet. He wondered for the first time if he could actually truly be happy. He looked up to the three quarter moon. Two weeks would past before the new moon. He smiled as Rei got him to lean on her as she walked him inside the temple. He wondered if he could try. He stopped her as he turned around, "Rei… I know I've been a little distant lately. I've been thinking for some time about this."

"What are you saying Dimmer?"

"I… How exactly do I say this? I have been punishing myself for a long time Rei. I hurt a friend in my world. It's my fault what happened had happened, but I think it's time to forgive and forget."

"Dimmer…"

"Rei, I wanna change back to who I was. I'm not exactly sure how to do that, but I'm gonna give it a shot."

"Dimmer…just… just tell me what to do… I'll help in any way I can."

"Just be happy Rei. That's it. That's all I need, that's all I want. I want my friends to be happy"

"Funny," Rei smiled softly, "That's all we want from you too."

"Sounds like a deal than. I swear by the new moon, I will be happy!" He called out into the night. His voice echoed on the night's breeze.

"You sound like you're insane" Rei laughed quietly.

"I am insane. Come on lets go inside and get some cheesy poofs."

"Sure."

The darkness started to recede and daylight broke. Once again it's rays flooded the streets of Tokyo. Warmly it greeted the earth. The Hino Temple was glowing with the sun. It's rays flowed pass the temple and through the streets into window after window. It passed over the blonde young girl. Just a second ago she was grumbling about never getting her hair out of knots, but the gloominess that surrounded her early morning rising and her tangled hair was chased away by the sun's light.

It moved on through the kitchen of a young pony tailed brunette singing cheerfully. Up for far longer than the sun, the smell of bacon flew on the breeze from her stove. The light passed over a sleeping Amy slumped over on her desk and keyboard. 

The sun moved on to continue it's journey through the city and along the country roads. There, dirt roads and blades of grass glistened with morning dew. The sun treasured this place. There was not many places left on this island that shone with the earth's natural beauty. Instead it was often replaced by what the planet's rulers desired, but there was beauty in them as well. The sun looked on from all perspectives, it was the silver light behind the clouds after all. It smiled gently with its light as it reached into the bedroom and woke up the sleeping pair there. The reaction was not so gentle though…

"AAAAAAAAGGGGHHH!!" Chad literally jumped out of the bed and backed up into the corner of the room.

Mina was abruptly awaken as her bedmate screamed in surprise.

"Really…" She yawned and stretched, "I know I'm not a morning person, but I expected a more positive reaction than that…"

"Well… I don't exactly wake up to this sort of thing often."

"Oh I understand." Mina smiled, "Do you remember anything about last night?"

"Uuh… umm… no… we didn't… didn't we?"

"Huh? NO! Don't be dumb! You nearly froze to death! Imagine giving me your coat, and you ended up freezing. Besides we had blankets between us."

"Oh jeez, ya scared the hell outta me… Was I really that bad off?"

"Would I be here if you weren't? I only met you a week ago. Come on, what kind of girl do you think I am?"

"The kind that sleeps with strange guys in prostitute's clothes."

"Haha, smart ass."

"Heh. Well don't worry about it. There's some clothes in my mother's closet over there, you should be able to find something. Tell ya what. Since you saved me, I'll cook ya breakfast, deal?"

"Mm hmm. Sounds good. Now get out so I can get changed."

"Okay. I'll call ya when it's ready. My stash of stuff is out in the shed, we can go out to the range to try some of it out if ya like. They need a bit of testing anyway."

"Sure just get out!"

Chad caught the pillow with his face, took the hint, and scurried out the door on all fours. Mina watched him go and giggled at his antics. He was really cute sometimes.

"Don't forget to call Serena and the others to let them know where we are okay?"

"No prob!"

"Okay girls. Chad said that he and Mina wouldn't be able to make it in tonight on account of him near freezing to death last night, so I'm going to teach both classes today."

Serena and Amy groaned.

"Dimmer? You can't be going as hard on them as you do on us are you?" Darien was a little concerned, there was no way they could handle what Dimmer had been throwing at them lately. He was actually fighting them now. The power he had as a mere human, Darien never thought any one could possess. Yet here Dimmer was, he fought them together, now too powerful for them to take on at once when not transformed. After he was done with them, they all agreed that they preferred going against the boulder.

"No Darien. In fact we're going their way today, we all need a little speed training. Gotta remember to keep our feet moving too, eh?" 

"Does this mean I'm not going to feel like I want up against a freight train this morning?"

Dimmer smiled, "Okay, okay. I get it. I was going a little hard on you guys. I decided to do a little resting period because you guys are going for some on the job experience today."

They all blinked. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Weeell… we'll have to cut things off a little early today." Dimmer turned his back towards the girls to help the suspense.

"I got the call this morning!" Dimmer suddenly turned around in a flash and gave everyone the peace sign. "Get ready, were meeting the Prime Minister at noon!"

"You're kidding!"

"How?"

"Who wouldn't want to meet the famous Sailor Scouts? Remember! We can all agree on this that the first rule to being a super hero is flashy entrance. That's exactly what we'll be working on today. Now the question is which one you will be using. I always liked the silhouette in the sun myself, and noon would be a great time for it…"

"I can't believe we're going to meet the Prime Minister!"

"Oh wow! This so totally cool." Serena and Lita were jumping up and down holding hands.

"And just how did you manage this Dimmer?"

"Seems that the authorities reeeally liked the idea. They wanna give John and Pidge the authority and paperwork over the whole deal. They looked kinda like Lita and Serena do now. I'm gonna be the manager, since I'm not about to transform or anything anymore. But hey! That's later. Now for some deep training!" Dimmer ran over to tap Serena on her nose. "You're "it!"

"Huh?" Serena looked at Dimmer for a moment, before a huge grin settled on her face, "Not for loo~oong!"

And so began the biggest game of tag anyone of that neighborhood would ever remember. Tales of teenagers jumping over rooftops would be called in to police headquarters only to be laughed at, an all time high was reached by optometrists, as many people had decided they needed to get their eyes checked. For the teenagers appeared as nothing but blurs to many of those around them. Dimmer almost thought himself mistaken but he could swear that Darien was really enjoying all this. 

"So Darien… enjoying being chased by Serena?"

"Huh?"

"Tag!" Serena called out happily as she managed to finally tap Darien who she'd been mainly after since she had gotten tagged.

"Hey!" Darien laughed as he turned around to chase after the rest.

The Prime Minister looked at his watch impatiently. They had agreed to meet in the town hall. The only person to show so far was a young teenage boy with gold colored hair clasps wrapped around two braided bangs. He was dressed in denim. The officers assured him things would be alright. The boy had asked them to go out onto the roof, and that's where they waited now. The boy was looking at his watch, and muttering something about teaching the importance punctuality to a certain blonde.

Than it had happened, a large shadow suddenly covered the entirety of the roof. Something silhouetted against the sun. He lifted his hand to his forehead trying to block out the sun and still make out the shapes. The first one came into view, light blazing off of her orangish yellow trimmed mini skirt and blouse.

The next one came seemed to fall out of the sun, a green trimmed outfit this time, than another and another, they seemed like drops of the sun's rays. A red trimmed one, and blue trimmed. Than a shadowy figure dropped in behind them all wrapped in a cape and top hat. A white mask hid his eyes. All of them had taken up stances, before the obvious leader fell down in the middle, her blue and white uniform seemed to out shine them all as she came down taking up a stance herself. 

"I am Sailor Moon, Champion of Justice, and these are the Sailor Scouts, my most trusted friends."

"I am Sailor Mercury!"

"Sailor Mars!"

"Sailor Jupiter!"

"Sailor Venus!"

"My name…" said the man in black, "is Tuxedo Mask."

The Prime Minister couldn't help but be impressed and applauded the entrance. Though his hearing picked up the word "finally" come from the direction of the young man. 

"In case you haven't figured it out. I'm pretty much the go between, I'll be the one that Sergeant Pidge and John come to get the scouts. My name is Dimmer."

"Very well young man, it's pleasant to meet you. I've been looking forward to this."

"Not as much as the girls I assure you." Dimmer smiled.

"It's pleasant to meet you girls. Sailor Moon wasn't it?" He put out his hand

"Yes. Oh wow. I can't believe I'm actually meeting the Prime Minister!!" Sailor Moon squeaked out.

"It's a great honor Sir." Sailor Mercury greeted him as he walked over to shake her hand."

"This is so awesome." Sailor Mars took his hand.

"Like, this is totally amazing…" Sailor Jupiter was stupefied.

"I'm very honored too Sir." Sailor Venus smiled shyly.

"You honor us greatly Mister Prime Minister." Tuxedo Mask smiled.

"Now, now. You all give me too much respect. You're the heroes. I'm just a political figure, It's you girls that save the city. I'm just glad you've given us a way to help you."

"That's no problem really. We were looking for a better way to help you too. Maybe we can prevent a couple crimes in progress."

"That sounds great, but remember that this relationship is mutual. If you need our help in any way. We'll assist you in whatever we can."

"Hey it's a deal than, but just to let you know, there are two others like them another in black, and one who carries human weaponry, in bright yellow and white with yellow sunglasses."

"Really? Bright white, yellow sunglasses? Isn't that the same description of the terrorist in the hotel?"

"Ummm… yeah… well…" Dimmer laughed nervously, "Well we could say a little bit for his tactfulness."

"Very well, I think I understand. Gentlemen?" He looked towards the two officers, "I trust you will handle things from here?"

"Yes Prime Minister." John and Pidge answered at once.

"Your codename will be Moon Shadow. Dimmer here is a special communicator. Use it to contact us. There will be a building downtown. We'll give you a drive there. Sailor Scouts? I'm very pleased to finally meet you." 

"If you'd like to go down too, we'd be able to get another car."

"Uuh… no Dimmer can handle the political stuff. We really got to be going. We have school besides all this you know."

"Oh, well thank you Sailor Moon." Dimmer smirked, "Leave all the work to me. Alright you two. Let's get going. I wanna get this stuff over with." 

"Okay Dimmer. See you later… scouts…" John turned to look at them, but they had already vanished. "I have a feeling I'm going to have to get used to that working with them and everything…"

Sailor Moon says: 

"Hi again! Sailor Moon here to remind you that being sick can be down right aw…"

Reality:

Suddenly the T.V. turns off, and the scene is that of a major office building, where Jamie was now shaking his head. He knew what this was all about. Sex had been referred to on Sailor Moon. This was not going to go well for anyone.

"Sir! We have to do something! Now."

"What do you expect me to do about it?" Jamie looked to his ignorant subordinate editor.

"This episode was aired on T.V. in mid after noon when the kids were just arriving home from school! Every little kid was allowed to see it! When we previewed it, we said it couldn't be put on air as it was. It got prime time when it should have had none! What am I supposed to tell the courts?"

"They tried. We had no choice. The time slot wasn't even supposed to play Sailor Moon, it came on anyway."

"What?!"

"Something strange is going on. They say that it could have been a saboteur here at our studios, someone who was too big of a fan to let it not be aired. But I don't think it's that simple. That… realistic…" Jamie said it to himself as he turned to face his high office window.

"What are you saying?" The editor put a queer look on her face as she tried to think about all this.

"I have just received a call five minutes before you came in. They tried to cut those scenes out of that episode. Tried to not show it at all. It's obvious it still managed to make it to the air uncut. The computers used to edit its contest continually crash whenever that file is opened. I think… I think I'm going crazy."

She was dumbstruck. She knew Jamie was about to say something else, but changed it last second. She'd been working as chief editor, and had many arguments with him about what could go on air and what couldn't. She knew when he was keeping something from her. But this time she wasn't sure if she really wanted to know what was going on in his mind about all this. "Sir… Than what do we do?" 

"Tell the courts that Jessie. Tell the courts exactly what I've told you. If they can figure out what to do about it, fine. We'll do whatever they say. Let's see if we can't cut as many losses from this as we can. Everything was going fine until now…"

Jessie nodded and left Jamie to his thoughts.

"What I think is we have little choice but to watch it play through. It almost makes me want to believe in magic…"

Endnotes:

*Does victory dance*

Hello people! Another chapter in the books. This fic is really turning into one now isn't it? Hope you like it long! Cause I just finished doing up the out line for this monster, and we're talking 41 to 42 chapters of fate twisting, humor and angst! Sure I only got up until chapter 27 written up, but now I have an idea to work on for every chapter. I'm hoping that will solve any future writer's blocks that might fall in my way.

Any way, for the new guys that made it this far. Did you enjoy it? What did you think? Tell me in a review! 

If you want I can give ya a few sneak peeks at unedited chapters ahead… 

For the upcoming chapter, there's even a hidden song fic written for it using run DMC's version of ghostbusters. You won't get it unless you ask for it specifically though, because it's my very first song fic and I'm rather paranoid about it.

Meh. Time to go back to work. Bleh, college, if it were anything but animation…


	23. Riddles Solved

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it, or see it, or any other thing… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language, also this is my first fic. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language. Maybe some lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

It was the next afternoon and the scouts, Darien, Chad, one very irritated navy blue cat, and a stark white one that was looking rather nervously in the other cat's direction, had once again gotten together for another meeting at the temple. Everyone had arrived except for one. Right now they all sit cross-legged in a circle. Dimmer was standing, and pacing back and forth. "Where is that girl?"

"Detention. She tried to eat her lunch in class again." Lita supplied.

"So how long is this going to take her?"

"That long!" Cried an out of breath Serena as she walked over to the circle and fell to the floor with a thump.

"Okay girls, and guys. Everything's all set up. If there is an attack during school hours, Darien and Chad handle it. If they need help the girls are called in via scout communicator. You'll constantly be on call. We'll keep your identities secret that way got any questions?"

Mina raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"How do we separate the fans from actual calls?"

"They'll be transferred directly form the police station. They're going to filter them out for us."

"I have one too Dimmer."

"Shoot Aimes."

"Are you going to be the one they call? There might be a lot of calls for us and you already have enough to do with all your jobs."

"Correct as usual Amy. I can't take the calls, but I got someone in who can, being off school with an injury and all. Not only that, but he'll be able to sense whether the calls have something to do with the Negaverse or not."

"Wow that's some secretary. Who is he?" Lita perked up at the sound of another guy around. "Is he cute?"

"Umm… I can't really answer that second one, but the first one's simple. You can come in now!" Dimmer called at the door.

"Uhh… Hello again." Greg stood in the door way, his arm still in a sling.

"Greg! What are you doin here?"

"Well after I told my parents what job I had been offered, they told me it was fine if I wanted to stay here. They said they'd make a lot of trips back and forth to here any way, and wouldn't have been able to see much of me if I remained at home."

"Not only that, but they pay's pretty good too eh b'y?"

Greg laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"How much are they paying you, that your parents are going to pay for an apartment in the middle of Tokyo for?"

"What do you think Aimes?" Dimmer answered for the embarrassed Greg. "We needed someone else who knows who you are, and was trusted with that information. Greg is the only one that fits the bill. That and getting paid directly from the Prime Minister's office does have a little advantage with it. He was the first one to come to mind. I'm still sorry for that whole arm thing…"

"Really Dimmer its alright, you really didn't know."

"Still feel kinda bad about the whole deal…"

"Well it did give us a valuable lesson. We absolutely have to keep each other informed about everything to stop this kind of thing from happening again. Besides it seemed it was good for us in its own way."

"How so Amy?" Rei asked curious.

"Well, that whole fight brought us all together. It was the beginning of everything. Dimmer chased after Darien, Chad made his first appearance as Daybreak. Dimmer met up with Talenite, and we won him over to us as a spy. We found out about fate being broken."

"Hey Yeah! I see now," Lita exclaimed, "And the fight after that one was even more intense. Because of it Mina was brought here, Serena found out Darien was Tuxedo Mask, Dimmer and Chad started training us, and so now we're all together."

"So in essence, we have the Negaverse to thank for bringing us together, and making us stronger."

"Right on, Darien, and that makes us a couple steps closer to getting the Silver Emperium Crystal for Serena."

"Don't you mean the Moon Princess Dimmer?" Amy reminded him.

"Oh yeah, right the Moon Princess… I forgot about that…" Dimmer tried to keep his gaze off of Serena.

Darien visibly glowered at the floor. It might be easy for Dimmer to forget about her, but that just reminded him of his dreams and his entire purpose of being here. He couldn't believe he had forgotten her! But it was understandable with everything that's been going on lately. It didn't make too much sense to him though, his second persona was created just to find her, but he had been having such a good time with Serena and her friends, he almost forgot what he was here for. He promised himself to redouble his efforts.

"So just how are we going to find the rest of these pieces than?"

"Hey Darien, no need to get grumpy. I'm sure we'll think of something, but you know as much as we do about everything right now." Serena frowned a little. She thought Darien had lost the whole jerk attitude, but she guessed he was just holding it back for a time. "Jeez what a grump." She thought to herself.

"And unfortunately it seems only the Negaverse knows how to get them. Dimmer and Greg have already told us who all the next crystal holders are." Lita announced offhandedly. It was something these meeting had continuously been about lately, and the subject was starting to grate on her nerves.

Rei was still shocked that her grandfather happened to be one of them, and everyone was surprised one was in a much fatter version of Artemis. Lita was still a little more than pissed to find out Andrew had a fiancé. Strangely enough Serena didn't seem as upset about that as Lita thought she'd normally be. 

Lita smirked, "She must be getting a thing for Darien, they've been hanging out a lot lately. Let's see, that leaves Dimmer and Rei. I can just so see that," She laughed to herself as she watched Rei smack Dimmer for calling Darien monkey boy again.

"Than there seems to be Chad. He's turning red every time he looks in Mina's direction. Wonder what happened there… And of course there's Amy and Greg." Lita swelled a bit in pride knowing she helped to bring that one about. They seemed utterly perfect for each other.

"Now when is the perfect guy going to show up for me…" Lita couldn't help but be a little envious of her friends. She'd only known everyone for a short time, but they'd all gotten so close. As Dimmer always said hardship forges the strongest friendships and they certainly had their fair share of them.

Lita was broken out of her reverie by Serena waving her hand in front of her.

"Hello! Earth to Lita! Jeez, I know Dimmer pulling Greg out of the back like that was a bit of a shock, but isn't this a little much?"

"Knock it off Meatball head! Can't you see she was thinking? You can't give anyone a moments peace can you?!"

Serena looked up at Rei and once again set off the water work factory. She reached for the next closest person, and Darien looked down to see the blonde crying into his shirt.

"Aww Man I just got this one cleaned!" He thought to himself. He looked quickly around at his options, Dimmer and Chad quickly took a step back. Caught, he sat going into usual guy mode in not being able to resist helping the crying blonde. He shook his head, and did his best to comfort her.

"I'm kinda getting worried though Dim." Chad, who had been sitting rather quiet throughout this spoke up.

"Why's that?"

"Well, we've got Artemis and Luna keeping an eye on the people you mentioned, and we haven't seen hide nor hair of the Negaverse. You would have thought that they'd have done something by now."

"Can't be sure Chad. I know who they're goin' after, but as for when I can't tell."

"Should have happened last week." Greg stated simply.

"…oh."

"So what can we do about it?"

Greg's cell picked that time to ring. Greg looked down at it suspiciously. He whispered just loud enough that the others couldn't register it. His face betrayed what he had said though. "It's them…"

"Hello?"

"Where?"

"How long?"

"They're on their way."

Greg flipped the phone closed.

"Alright! Let's go guys!"

"Not you Dimmer. You're staying here." Amy stated.

"What? No way! I gotta help!"

"I'm not letting you transform! You trained us for this. Let us handle it." Rei quickly joined in with Amy.

"Besides Dimmer," Amy interrupted, she knew that telling him what to do was never going to get Dimmer to stay put, there had to be an appropriate reason. "You may not be able to go with us, but you can help Chad, and keep an eye on us, that way, you can protect him if they find a way to him."

"Fine than. Go." Dimmer said, more than a little dejected. He hadn't been allowed turn into Sundown for awhile. He supposed that was a good thing, but he just felt like he needed to let loose sometimes. He wasn't able to practice too hard anymore because he might exert himself too much and trigger the transformation. 

He missed the feeling of exhaustion after a training session. The feeling of going all out, and relishing in the total relaxation that came afterward. He wondered if he'd get to feel it ever again. He'd often used to beat on all his old problems. Punching each one with the pure strength needed to defeat them. It seem to help him get rid of all his negative feelings, now he had to simply be rid of them to become the guy he promised he'd be by the new moon. It had only been two nights, and already he found it was very difficult. 

Solitude, Silence, Darkness, these three things composed his entire life. How was he supposed to be rid of them? He'd have to get rid of them completely by doing the opposite of each he figured. He'd been working on silence. He had to let all of his thoughts be known. Dimmer and Rei had discussed it the night before, she believed it would be the right road to let someone know about his past. She told him that all he had to do for darkness is lighten up. Actually it was meant as a joke, but it no longer seemed too far from the truth. But to do that, he'd probably have to do something about the silence and solitude first. 

"Hey Dimmer! You comin'?"

"Hey! I'm there b'y!"

"Than come on."

"Hey Artemis! Luna! Get in the back pack, we'll take yas with us."

The two cats looked at the close quartered backpack than at each other. Luna quickly put her nose in the air, and Artemis sighed. "If it's all the same to you Dimmer, I think I'll hang around here."

Luna jumped into the bag.

"Are you sure Art?"

"He's sure. Now let's go! There's no time to waste!"

"Okay, okay! Jeez Luna, don't yell in me ear. See ya after Art! Don't worry, the girls will be fine!"

"Okay! Look after Mina!"

"Ha! I think Chad'll have that one covered."

"What makes you say that?"

"Later!" Dimmer sprinted out the doorway to where the Harley had been started up. 

Outside Daybreak was talking to Greg. "So how are you gonna get there?"

"I told Captains, Pidge and John that I would be here. They're coming to pick me up. I'm getting trained as a communications officer right now. They say I'm pretty good, but it helps knowing exactly when they'll call, who they are, and what they're calling about not long after they called. The only tricky part is the encoding, and frequencies. It's actually pretty simple."

"Really? Think you can set this thing up?" He handed him his headset, Dimmer told him to get.

"Wow! I heard them talking about these. A C-81, yeah I could do that, where did you get this."

"Same place I got this…" Daybreak opened the trunk to his bike. Ammo and guns of all types were hidden there and in the seat itself. Also several hidden compartments to the bike held heat seeking missiles, remote control missiles, explosive ammo, grenades, plastique and some weaponry he didn't recognize. Wait a minute… missiles? 

"What have I gotten myself into?" Greg shook his head

"Hey stop showing off your stuff Daybreak! We got some Negaverse busting to do!" Dimmer smiled.

"Here we go!" Daybreak laughed and revved the bike as Dimmer plugs in a CD. The music to Run DMC's "Ghost busters," was playing only substituted was Dimmer's and Chad's voices, they had obviously made a remake of the song.

ONE WEEK LATER

"So how do you like being the captain of your own precinct Pidge?" John laughed as his partner drove through town. Pidge watched the large advertisement on a bus about the Sailor Scouts help line. They were telling Dimmer that they had to figure out what to do about the fans calling in, They were taking up all of the police lines. It had only been a week, and the scouts had been called in more times than anyone could have predicted. It was becoming a real hazard to live in Tokyo lately, and what's more, instead of scaring people away, the battles seemed to be attracting people.

"You know what John? Lets think about it. I'm working with super heroes, our names will probably go down in history, and we're working directly under the Prime minister himself. Not too mention we have the authority to call in the military should we be asked for help. I've got one question about this all. Where's the downside?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean. We're making loads of money without drawback. I have been thinking though… Haven't the scouts had a little more confrontations than usual lately? And all the places were staking out under their orders, you know looking for that crystal whatever, are showing no activity other than what's usual. I get the feeling something's going to happen here."

Pidge acknowledged his partner with a small grunt of agreement. He was a detective for a lot of years, and that old instinct was starting to make him suspicious. "There's just something wrong, I don't like this."

"Mars Fire Ignite!"

"Whoo…" Jupiter sighed, resting her hands on her knees. "Last one. Nice shot Mars."

Sailor Moon simply fell to her knees and gave a tired sigh herself, along with a large yawn.,

"Oooh! These stupid Negaturds are way past tiring me out. That was the third time today alone! First they don't attack at all, and now there's never a moment's peace!"

Mars dusted her hands, and looked back to the roasted youma steaming on the pavement. "I can't believe there were this many around before we got into this stupid business, I don't get why they're attacking us like this."

Tuxedo Mask answered while he helped Sailor Moon back to her feet. "They seem to be trying to ware us down. They're doing a pretty good job too."

"You're telling me!" Jupiter exclaimed quite loudly, "Just how many are there?"

"That is not the problem Jupiter, we have to find some way to launch an offensive against them. As it is all we are doing is defending against them. They also seem to have minions to spare among all of the demons and youma, just letting them do all of the attacking means will lose eventually for sure!"

"So how do we launch an offensive. It's not like we can go and attack their front door, we have no idea where that is…"

"Well Venus, I have taken the liberty of scanning their portals they use to travel back and forth. I am actually having a bit of success at beginning to understand the readings I've gotten from them. If I determine what all of this means, we maybe be able to design something that will allow us to travel to their dimension."

"What? Travel to the other dimension? Can we be gettin' Dimmer home that way Mercury?"

"I'm not sure Daybreak. You see traveling back and forth to a different dimension is one thing, but Dimmer not only did that, he came from the future of his planet, remember? He was 22 there. So he also travelled through time. I don't think the Negaverse can go that far…"

"Than how did Dimmer?"

"He certainly doesn't know. He was watching TV, than *poof* he got sucked in. The next thing he remembers is getting out of the crater you pretty much found him in Mercury. He never had any extraordinary powers before coming here."

"Oh Wow! Hey Mars! How do you know that? Did Dimmer tell you his past?" Sailor Moon jumped out of Tuxedo Mask's arms and berated Mars with questions.

"What? No he keeps that to himself. Why would he tell me?" Mars already had Jupiter and Sailor Moon picking on her from where they found out she had spent until the late hours of the morning talking to him. They had wanted to know what they were talking about, but that was a little too personal for Dimmer, and he had enough on his plate without having to deal with Serena and Lita hassling him about being a romantic. It sounded romantic to her, she had to agree, but it didn't look that way to Dimmer. So maybe it wasn't so romantic as it was a reason why it was impossible for him to truly fall in love, or is it that he just needed to make up a reason why he couldn't. A reason to explain why he never has…

"Jeez there I go again." She muttered under her breath pointedly ignoring the two yammering girls behind her. She looked to Mercury for some help, but she was just looking at her quizzically. She obviously wanted to know if she really knew about Dimmer's past or not. It could be helpful to her in discovering more about his dimension and how to get him back, but the truth was she knew very little about it, she only knew a little of the way he looked at his world. That wasn't enough to go by. Tuxedo Mask had just took off while everyone else was distracted by the one-sided conversation Sailor Moon and Jupiter were having with Mars. Venus had turned away as well. She hadn't known Dimmer that long, and almost everything he did lately just seemed to make him look like a jerk, so she never knew him any other way. Than Chad… Hey wait a minute…

"Just where do you think you're going Chad?!"

"Hey! I'm Daybreak remember?" Chad quickly turned around from where he was trying to creep around the conversation and race off on his bike before any one noticed.

"Whatever! Why were you trying to duck out of the conversation like that?"

"What? No I wasn't doin' anythin' like that. Just tryin' to uuuh… um… make a dramatic exit! Yeah! Just like Tuxedo Mask right?"

"Huh? Oh no! Darien left! He didn't even say good bye…" Sailor Moon pouted.

"But he never says good bye." Jupiter reminded her in a whisper.

"Oh yeah!" Sailor Moon's expression grew much more cheerful.

"Don't change the subject. What are you hiding Chad?"

"It's Daybreak dammit! Daybreak! And I ain't hidin' notin'."

"Than why are you sneaking off?!"

"'Cause I wanted to make a dramatic exit!!"

Mars gave a glare to Daybreak that ran shivers down his spine. 

"Umm… maybe we should go now…"

"Good idea Sailor Moon, I'll see you later!"

"Yeah, right, hey Jupiter wait up. See ya later guys!"

"Bye Venus! Bye everyone!" Just like that the Sailors split up and took off.

Mars didn't even wave to the pig-tailed blonde as she continued to glare at Daybreak. 

"Listen, I don't know how long you want to stand here glaring at me, but I'm leaving now, so maybe you can stare at the wall behind me or something." Chad said nervously as he tried to sidestep away from her gaze.

"You're not getting away that easy! You're hiding something and you better tell me what it is."

"Alright! … alright already, sheesh, I found out some stuff about Dimmer. And not the one we know." Right about now Daybreak would have said anything to get her eyes off of him as soon 

"What? What do you mean not the one we know?"

"There is a Dimmer that exists in this world before the Dimmer we know arrived. I was looking in to it through a few connections I have. I guy who goes by the name of Ken. He works as a reporter for the Tokyo report. He did a check up as a favor to me."

"What did you do for him?"

"Gave him a lead on some crime scenes, not important really."

"Okay than what did you find out?"

"Hey! I can't tell you that! I know stuff now that Dimmer probably didn't want talked about!"

Mars backed off a little. He was right; Dimmer would have to tell her on his own. "You're right Chad, but you are going to have to tell Dimmer what you know about him alright?"

"Yeah, no problem Mars, you wanna change back now? We may make a little bit of a ruckus goin' through town in this get up."

"What? You think I'm going to change back in front of you?!"

"Okay, I'm gonna go over to the alley here to get out of this jacket and stuff."

"You better not peek!" 

Daybreak left to get changed, and a still paranoid Sailor Mars powered down. For a moment there was only a red flame covering her body before she appeared in her normal outfit, all traces of Sailor Mars gone.

She heard a noise from around the alley way corner, and her eyebrow twitched in anger.

"CHAD YOU HENTAI!" A rock that was lying around suddenly made an imprint on the back of Chad's head. Chad fell over senseless.

"It was worth it." were the last words he could say before he slipped into unconsciousness. 

The night air echoed the familiar sound of silence to Dimmer as he locked up the arcade. For the first time in a long time though, it made him feel uncomfortable. 

"I have to practice with the kids and their concert. It's coming up in just a little over a week…" he said quietly, hoping to break the awkward silence surrounding him. The girls had just called telling him everything was okay. He smiled at that. The girls didn't need his help anymore; they didn't need Daybreak, and most of the time they could even fight without the help of Tuxedo Mask. They had more youma and demon kills in this one week than they did since Serena first met Luna.

Talenite never contacted him anymore; he had given him a way to contact him through a mirror into the Negaverse. Dimmer kept it in his closet. It was only to be used in emergencies. Talenite had told him of what Beryl was doing and that soon his services to her would no longer be needed and he would become expendable. She summoned all the last Demons they fought, and she was already starting to exceed her teacher's abilities in what she could summon.

Something big was going to happen soon. He was sure of it. They were testing the scouts. He was sure she would send something that was supposed to squash them. It was his hope he trained them well enough to defend against it. He remembered warning them against using their full abilities against the Youma, as a trump card to play against Beryl's final move. The girls all still wore the training weights. Even in battle. They had to focus themselves to still fight somewhat like they used to, with ranged attacks.

"Why does everything have to be so damn difficult!" He yelled at the silence of the street he was walking down, and gave frustrated punch at street lamp, taking a good chunk out of it.

"Calm down Dimmer, it's okay, just calm down…" He told himself as he started to take deep breaths. They can do this without you right? That's what the training is all about right?" He was mildly surprised to figure out that deep breaths had done the trick. He wasn't used to getting so wound up. 

He scratched once again fiercely at an itch in his arm, as he glanced up at the moon. It wouldn't be long until the new moon, just a two days. All the training he put them through was to let him focus on his problems instead of dealing with theirs. 

"I've never broke a vow yet, and I'm not gonna start now. I gotta kick this thing. Sundown is helpful, but all that pain… the girls' are right, it can't be good for me." He thought out loud, while scratching the back of his neck just as fiercely as he has his arm. 

"Than maybe you should listen to them, and actually try to do something about it."

"Huh? Hey who said that?"

Dimmer stood upright, and turned to look at the freckled child in front of him. The child's hair was the same color as his own, a dark black. Yet it was strange, in the light of street lamps, Dimmer could swear there was a dark tint of blue there. The child, dressed in a simple black T-shirt and jeans, seemed to emanate happiness from all around him. Dimmer only grew suspicious of this. The child noticed and frowned, and than once again turned back to a large toothy grin.

"Wow, your senses are better than I thought they were!" The child was smiling wildly with his eyes shut, while rocking up and down on his heels. 

"Who are you?! Or what…"

"Oh please. I'm human! In fact, I..…" he disappeared.

"Am just like…" 

Dimmer turned around to see the boy spinning around in a playful manner on the street lamp. 

"You." The kid stopped spinning to tap Dimmer lightly on his nose.

"What do you mean just like me? Who are you?"

The boy jumped off of the base of the street lamp and raised his arms. "Ta da! I am Knight's Valor!"

Dimmer sweatdropped, "Aren't you a little young to be possessing people and kissing girls?"

"Yeah… It seems that way doesn't it, but I remember Rei. And I don't always look like this."

"You remember Rei? What do you mean by that?"

"This is the third try at this Dimension… I wonder will its fate be broken beyond repair once again…"

"Hmph. No doubting you're Valor now. Are you going to keep talking and not explaining? If so I'm gonna walk away now. The last thing I need is to hear more of your damn riddles. And if you don't always look like this than could you change to something that looks a bit more mature?"

"Riddles?" Valor arced an eyebrow at Dimmer, "And here I thought they were pretty self explanatory, as for changing forms, I'm afraid not. My other form would cause people to believe that there's a new hero around. I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Fate is broken enough as it is. Why did you have to go and pretty much tell Serena who Darien was? That really changed the whole picture on us, we are all trying to fix things, we don't need you makin' things worse than they already are. I would've been here sooner, but we've all had our hands full tryin' to fix that random comment you know?"

"You're restoring fate?"

"Mm hmm. By the way wave to your left."

"Why?"

"Hey! Make like Nike, and just do it."

"Okay." Dimmer sweatdropped, and waved to his left.

"Now look at the tree just across the road and do it."

"Okay…"

Valor jumped, and sat on Dimmer's shoulders and waved to the same tree. 

"What exactly are we waving at here?"

"Oh… I'd say about a million or so people who tuned in to watch the new Sailor Moon reruns."

"WHAT?!"

"What yourself. You jump into a TV show, change things around in plain view, and you think no one's gonna notice? Jeez, Council has just found your old dimension and your already throwing things out of order over there."

"Council? Who is that?"

"Nope, that was supposed to be "who are they?". Council are they who weave fate. And they've been searching for quite some time for you."

"Me? What for? It's not like I did any of this… well not on purpose anyway…"

"I see… You still don't remember do you? That's no surprise really."

"Remember what? I thought I got all of my memories back…"

"Nope, and most likely you never will. I don't even know what they are, though I do remember more than you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Our memories."

"You lost your memories too?"

"Nah, I lost yours and mine."

"What?!"

"Hey calm down, you lost mine and yours too."

"That's it! I thought I said no more riddles!"

"I'm not saying riddles, just facts."

"Okay, will you just answer questions for me here, in a way that isn't going to confuse me completely.

"Sure, shoot."

"Don't steal my lines."

"Does it count as stealin' them, when they're my lines too?"

"Yes it does! I'm not really sure what you meant by that! but yes it does."

"Damn! Now I'm gonna have to think up new ones…"

"Okay. First, get offa my shoulders, next, tell me exactly who you are."

"Okay." He jumped down, "I am Arkand Kitana. I used to live on an Island at the tip of Nova Scotia, named Cape Breton. I near killed myself after I was put up on false charges of rape. I am you, or was you. Do you remember me now?"

"But… that's me…" Dimmer looked at the boy, there was a striking resemblance. "Why is your hair blue?"

"Didn't think so, one minute I'll remind you." He jumped up and tapped Dimmer's forehead.

Than everything started spinning. 

The night was dark and the storm was in full rage. The cliff was next to Arkand's favorite beach. Arkand himself stood on the muddy cliffside. He was soaked through to the bone, and the raging autumn rain stung his eyes. That wasn't the pain that he felt that night though. His life was over. What self respecting employer would ever hire some one who could rape, if no one else seen him being above such a disgusting, horrible crime, how could he see himself any better? Could he live as a rapist? How could he live without his honor?" tears and rain were washed into the ocean below. Arkand cried as the storm continued to pelt him. 

"Fuck it." He muttered to himself. He stretched his arms out wide, and tilted his head upwards. He laughed. He laughed and sang in a gasping voice that still managed to ring clear over the ocean, only to be swallowed up in the thunder crashing in the clouds.

Song: his thoughts:

"Sure am glad it's raining He felt the rain in all its glory

It's hard to see the tear drops, Even he couldn't tell what was rain

in my eyes. and what were tears

Sure am glad it's raining. It sunk in until very pore was soaked

A wounded warrior needs a place to hide. His beach was beside him, his hiding spot

I thought that I'd found some one He thought of Russell, and Malene

On who Mitchell and Katie, 

I could two people who never knew all that happened

depend. Simon, who he couldn't trust enough to tell

What they needed Mike

Was a hero God, I tried Mike

What I wanted I'm so selfish, it's no wonder they believed her

Was a friend…" and yet I couldn't truly accept one 

"Sure am glad it's raining." Lightning lit up the sky as Dimmer finally let his arms fall to his sides

"Yeah I'm glad it's raining…." He continued to sing as the insane laughter form before turned into sobs.

"Hmmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm." He continued to hum as he stepped up to the end of the cliff.

A loud crash of thunder suddenly surprised him. Lightning struck out over the ocean, lighting up the cliff face that was starting to give way beneath him, with the weight of the mud. He screamed as he scrambled for a grip under the mudslide that had taken his feet out from under him. He desperately grabbed for the grass and rocks underneath the mud, bloodying his hands as he felt whatever he got a grip on give way. Still he scrambled, somehow he managed to bring his legs back up over the cliff. His breathing was rough and ragged as he slowly stood up as a muddy mess. He laughed as he took off his coat.

"SO THAT"S IT?!" He yelled out over the ocean, and to the entire world.

"Is that all you got?! Well, if that's it, I think I'll just stick around to annoy you. If I'm dust in the wind, Than I'm gonna be the dust particle that chokes ya! How do ya like them apples?! YOU BASTARD!!"

Dimmer fell on his ass, as the memory subsided.

"Yes, actually, I did remember that, thank you! And I really did not want to live through it again!"

"No you don't remember than… ah I see. I am your block. What memories I have, you cannot get."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember New Brunswick Dimmer?"

"Of course not, I was what? 8 or 9?"

"And not a single memory?"

"Uuh… no. I hadn't really thought about it."

"Dimmer, I'm sorry. I've done so much to hurt you, I understand now."

"Glad someone does…"

"Than I will try to make your life easier now. Dimmer did you actually hear what I told you in the hospital?"

"Yes, I remember that too. No need to touch my forehead thank you, I had about enough of that."

"No," Arkand laughed, "I'm not thinking about doing that again. I mean what I said. I will try to explain things"

"Well its about damn time!"

"Okay, here's the scoop, don't let a dark past echo into your future. Do you know what I speak of?"

"Ummm… no…"

"Don't let your past stop you from enjoying life Dimmer. You can be happy, these girls, Rei. She makes you happy doesn't she?"

"Of course they're my friends."

"Are they? Or are they just friends like Mitchell and Katie are friends?"

"I… shit…"

"Trust them Dimmer. Trust them with the truth, as they trust you with theirs."

"How can I? How can I trust some one so completely as Serena does. She believes everything she's told. She's so gullible."

"Is being so gullible wrong?"

"No, it looks good on her. I couldn't imagine her any other way."

"Why can't you let yourself be gullible too, than?"

"My world doesn't allow me to be gullible, if I am, I'll die, or I'll live with even more pain than I do now."

"No one said this was easy. You must trust them Dimmer. Tell them everything they want to know. Besides, you're not in your world now are you?"

"That's so easy to say. It's a little bit different when you have to do it."

"Yes, it is. Don't block out others, it is there strength you must learn to thrive. This is your power Dimmer, but if you keep people at arms length you will never be able to use it."

"What do you mean that's my power?"

"Exactly that. It is the power that made this universe, and it belongs to you, so I'm told. Learn to tap into this, and you may be able to supply yourself the power enough to cross dimensions, even to span time! How do you think you got here?"

"I… I don't know."

"You tapped into your power Dimmer. Only for a moment and look at how powerful it was. With power like that, you can help to restore fate."

"Than I could also get back home? But what about…"

"What about what Dimmer?"

"What about Rei and the others?" 

"Will you put their whole world at risk, just 'cause you want to stick around?"

"Of course not…"

"Dimmer, I'm teaching you the way to fight the three evils. There are many evils Dimmer, but some more than most, rage, lust, any of the seven deadly sins, but also there are the three powers you invoke into yourself when you become Sundown. Do you know them? They surround you even now."

"I would have said Darkness, silence, and solitude, but you being here negates the last."

"But I'm you, so I don't count."

"Great, I'm standing here talking to myself and getting a response, this is pathetic."

Arkand smiled and laughed. "I suppose it is isn't it? Don't worry you get used to of doing eccentric things when your as powerful as I am, and you will be if you manage to follow these steps."

"So I'm gonna be a crazy, immature, nutcase, that gets his kicks out of confusing people?"

"Yup"

"Sounds fun, where do I sign up?"

"Just follow these instructions."

"Alright, I got it so far, trust people, so I talk to them. That would negate silence. Stop keeping them at arms length, and there goes solitude, but that leaves…"

"Darkness. The darkness of the heart, Dimmer. It has a tight grip on you. There is a light that gets rid of it. the light of love. Dimmer you must learn to show your love."

"What?!"

"Dimmer your love will show, two times this dimension had to be restarted because of it. It's going to happen again, because no matter how long you were away you never stopped loving her, and no matter how many times she meets you, she always seems to love you as well. No matter who you are at the time. She fell for me once, and fell for Sundown the other time so very long ago. Twice Fate's cycle was disturbed"

"Yeah right. How do I beat darkness again, and what cycle's are you talking about?"

"Follow the flame Dimmer," Arkand smiled, "follow the flame, and it will lead you out of the darkness. This flame has helped you for much of this time Dimmer, are you so blind you can't see it? This is something you'll have to see for yourself, I'm afraid. No one can tell you this. I must go now Dimmer. Be at peace. When you work with fate, things tend to work out in the end."

"Wait! What about the memories of power I sometimes get? Is the feeling that I've done all this before, like I've been in battle to battle for all my life part of the power you mentioned?"

"I don't know Dimmer. I'm also missing many of our memories, like the ones after that night on the cliff, I remember nothing after that. Sometimes I have them of many different people, and places that I've never visited. If you don't have those memories, and neither do I, than it is Sundown who holds them."

"Sundown? He's me too?"

"Of course he is. You form into him do you not? He is a darker version of our self though. Watch what he says, he will deceive all to destroy fate. That includes you. I'm needed now Dimmer. The Sailor of Time itself summons me. Remember well what you've learned tonight." Arkand's voice whispered as if travelling on the wind, his persona faded to nothing as the voice was carried off.

Dimmer was left with a now blinked out street lamp. 

Dimmer gave the street lamp a flat look.

"Bastard," he muttered. All in all though, it had been a good week. He now knew the meaning behind most of those enigmatic things Valor had told him in the hospital. 

"Now all I have to do is the deed itself."

He paused before walking once more.

"Great so all I have left to do is all the hard parts…"

Sailor Moon Says:

"Wow the Sailor Scouts sure have been busy! The enemies keep coming and we have to keep defending, no matter how many come, or how hard it is. But that is the way it is with problems isn't it? Sometimes it feels like they are endless. And the worse part about it is we all know it will probably get worse before it gets better…But the thing to remember is that as long as you do your best, and try to always do the right thing, it will get better! Sailor Moon says!

Reality: 

Mike put down the headlines stating that Dimmer really was trapped into the Sailor Moon show. "So they finally admitted it."

"yeah I thought you'd wanna know."

"Thanks Mitchell. How is a Katie doing? I haven't seen her in a while."

"She says to say she's fine. The press haven't bothered in a while, but now they're gonna be back for sure. Stupid, fucking vultures."

"If only there was something we could do for him…"

"Do for who? Dimmer? He's trapped in his dream world! He doesn't need our help Mike, unless it's to help him stay there. He had a rough time of it here."

"Yeah, but I get this feeling, ya know? The feeling something bad is gonna happen, he knows it too, he's been fidgety lately."

"Nah, it looks like the show is gonna make him come to terms with himself, before it sends him home. Sounds like someone wanted to do him a huge favor actually, and what d you mean by fidgety?"

"Maybe you're right. But he's always scratching, his arms his neck, every second gesture the show has him make is him scratching."

"He's scratching?"

"I know it sounds stupid…"

"That's because it is. Mike, maybe you're just missing him… he's been gone for a while now."

"Yeah, I miss him, maybe that's it. But something tells me no, something says that something more is 

gonna happen…"

Endnotes: Okay! This chapter took forever to get out, and I'm sooo completely sorry about that. I wasn't on my computer for a long while because of Christmas vacation, but now school is back and so am I.

Hope you had happy holidays!

I think I can now say this fic is going well? Let me know by reviewing! See ya in a while people!


	24. secrets, pasts, love, anger, and faith w

Just forewarning, this is the:

"Standard disclaimer"

Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

Our story continues:

Rei and Chad rounded the curb, Chad still had a rather large bump on his head and Rei was still fuming. Dimmer turned the other corner just in time to see the pull up.

"Hey you two. Youmas again?"

"That's the story of my life." Rei sighed irritably. "You two perverts can go talk guy stuff now, I'm going to go get some sleep. Dimmer, if I catch you training tonight, you will die a horrible, horrible death." She walked away, looking dead on her feet.

Dimmer gave Chad a look. "Okay, what did you do now?"

"I umm… nothin'"

"Chad?"

"Dimmer, forget about that. I know who you are, and I know about your past."

"Huh?… Oookay, that was kinda out of the blue…"

"When we were lookin' for who ya might be I had some people on it. I got the information earlier. I just thought you should know that I know."

"And just what do you know Chad?" Dimmer's tone of voice grew just a little bit deeper, and dropped just a few degrees below the freezing point.

"Well… ummm the whole.. rape… like … thing…"

"Oh, okay. But may I ask how?"

"You are officially in two places at once dude. One of you is beside me, the other is still back on your island. Only he's like sixteen or something."

"Hmph, he's got quite a lot a grief ahead of him. Meh, he'll be better for it. Chad? Keep it to yourself okay? I gotta deal with that when the time comes." Dimmer turned to walk into the temple.

"Hey man, it's your life. I will say this though, the girls gotta know something like this man. Ya can't just keep it from them. Especially Rei man. She cares for you, and she cares a lot."

"Look, I just finished going through all this once tonight okay? And for your information, including him, me, Valor, and Sundown, I got four of me running around here. At least the one you found out about doesn't have a bunch of holes in his memory. The other three of us do. Let me deal with this Chad, I really have enough on my plate right now."

"Okay, I didn't understand even half of that, but if you got too much on your plate than let us help you with it!"

"You know what? I think I'll take Rei's advice. I'm going to bed. You wanna tell the girls about me? That's fine. Go ahead. I have no idea why you're being so damn pushy about this. But you can do just as well without me there! Got it!" Dimmer stomped up to his room. (it was a lot of stomping, those there are a LOT of freakin steps to that temple…)

Chad was more than a little disturbed seeing Dimmer even a little upset. He was usually so understanding and listening to all sides before doing anything, anger was only ever in Sundown's vocabulary, not Dimmer's. He didn't wanna tell the girls without hearing Dimmer's side of things first, but as far as he knew Dimmer raped a young girl at a young age, and he was trying to hide it in his past. Dimmer was his best friend, he was sure the Dimmer he knew would never do anything like that. But people change and even Dimmer said he went through a lot of changes in his past. It all boiled down to this. 

"Shit."

He put his helmet back on, and took off. Chad needed a long drive to think things over.

Dimmer paced back and forth in his room. Rei was out like a light. Was she mad at him? Did Chad already tell her? What story did Chad get? Was the life he lived in this world the same as the one he lived in the other? Damn! Just when I thought I was getting things to go my way. Talking to the girls was the first step. If he could trust them, he would talk. It was that simple, but he couldn't talk to them could he? Of course not, it's obvious Chad was upset at the news. But the way Chad was, is everything is in people's past, judge how they are by how they treat others. Did Chad believe them? Sixteen. That's right around the age. That's probably the age he was in this body. Sometimes he really missed being 22…

"I'll tell her." It was decided. Dimmer paced back to the door, and than back to the window. It was the third time he had come to that decision, but his feet kept bringing him back here. 

"What am I doing?" He sighed and flopped down onto his bed. He turned over to lie on his back. His eyes showed no hint of closing. And he got up off the bed. 

"Ugh." Once again he made toward his door, and to his surprise he found his hand hesitating on the handle of the door. It was the furthest progress he made tonight.

Rei watched out her window as Chad drove away. The perverted, sweet nutball, she wondered where he was headed. He had gotten so secretive lately.

He never talked about his family, or his life before he slept on their steps that night they found them. And she had gotten more than a little bit suspicious about all the "connections" he seems to have been getting, let alone the weaponry. She couldn't help but think he's into something illegal. It didn't matter though. He was using it for good purposes wasn't he? 

"I wonder if Dimmer knows anything… probably, the two are like brothers. I wish I had that close of an attachment to either of them. I thought I was close to Chad once, that all seemed to change when Dimmer started living here. The one who broke fate, and the one who fights to restore it." She sighed. "Valor. He is also Valor. He kissed me, And I know it was him. What did he mean like he promised? Is Dimmer gonna promise me something? The power to erase memories. Against foes like ours, what use could that power be?" 

"It is the power of time. Do not be foolish. It is very powerful. Just as powerful as mine."

"As powerful as yours? Wait who?" She looked quickly around, and their sat Dimmer's black, swivel bladed dagger, lying on her night table.

"Dimmer's dagger…but how?"

"I am Sundown. I am also who you know to be Dimmer. I am the one who broke fate. You can thank me later." You could almost hear the smirk.

"You? Why?! Why would you do this?"

"I told you, you'll thank me later. Valor doesn't know what he's doing. Fate will be a friend simply because he's on his side. A moment of doubt and Fate will have to take his life, and than he will restart this dimension, Fate has done so twice already. The first, when I and you first met, in a different dimension so long ago. And he did it again when Valor first came here and met you. You knew him as Arkand than, but you wouldn't remember, you're already a victim to his power over memories."

"What?! What are you talking about?!"

"The Council of Fate, either Fate or the Council for short. They don't care which. They think that they are now a god. I plan on freeing them of this illusion. After all gods are immortal. If they're killed, they aren't really a god." 

"Why do you want to destroy fate so very badly?!"

"You'll see soon enough. I will destroy it for Dimmer, it's the only way."

"Leave Dimmer out of this! And the only way for what?!"

"The only way I can be with you. Rei, you must trust me, I look out for both of us, remember I, also, am Dimmer. Certainly you can see that?" at this the dagger created a transparent version of Sundown.

The holographic image took off its scarf and hat. It was an older version of Dimmer alright. He wasn't twenty, he had to be about thirty. The tip of his hair had started graying.

"But how?"

"I can't explain to you now Rei. I've waited a long time for this chance Rei. I made a promise to you the second time we met. You don't remember because it was before this dimension was restarted the second time.

"And this is the third?"

"Yes. Your universe is now an endless cycle, when it ends it restarts. Simple. But what if someone interfered with this process? That is how you and I first met. In the first dimension, Beryl won, and things had to be restarted. I didn't know what I got myself into. That dimension's memories are lost to me. They belong to either Dimmer or Valor."

"But Dimmer doesn't know anything about this!"

"All of his memories have not come back yet. He just believes they have."

"Why haven't you told us sooner?"

"I felt no need to. Now I've felt Valor's interference, help me destroy fate."

"Never! Fate is going to help us destroy Beryl! We have to or our world will end, or be enslaved!"

"Yes with fate's help you will defeat Beryl, but you will lose Dimmer in the bargain."

"What do you mean?!"

"Dimmer is coming. I must leave."

The image blurred and receded into the dagger as it continued to lean unassuming up against her wall.

Rei was left in wonder… If they use fate to defeat Beryl, they would lose Dimmer? How? Will he die in the battles? How does Sundown know all this? Is he from the future like Valor?

"Rei? Are you awake?"

"Yes Dimmer. You can come in. What is it?" She tried to appear as if nothing happened. Dimmer didn't need anymore on his mind. He would figure out a way to get rid of his transformation into Sundown once and for all. Sundown was a known liar, he was probably just trying to save himself. She tried to put the whole encounter to the back of her mind. She didn't realize then how easy that would be after what Dimmer had decided to tell her

.

Dimmer slid the door open, and shut it after he entered. "I'm surprised you were awake. I thought you said you were going to bed early."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Don't tell me your getting it too, the last thing we need is the two of us up with insomnia."

"I don't think I'll have to worry about that," she yawned tired after the fight and emotional drain from talking to Sundown.

"I've gotta talk to you… and the rest of the girls."

Rei looked up to see Dimmer staring down at her. The hair clasps glinted in the moonlight from her window. The seriousness of his gaze startled her. It was the same look given by Sundown not five minutes before. What did that mean? Was Sundown really who he said he was?

"You told me earlier, I should talk about my past. I think its time, but I'm not sure where to begin."

Rei's mind went blank for a second as she stared at him stunned. "He's going to tell me! He's actually going to tell me! … why do I feel so nervous?" she tried calm the flutters in her stomach.

"O…ooh" the first syllable came out as a squeak. " Ahem, I mean okay than, wow about we start with your name? Your real one."

"My name is Arkand Kitana, and just as Amy guessed I'm from Cape Breton Island, Eastern Canada."

"Well, Arkand, I'm glad that's settled."

"Please, call me Dimmer." He smiled as he introduced himself as if for the first time. He stretched out his hand with a small smile.

"Okay Dimmer." Rei laughed a bit, the stress from before seeping away and taking most of her weariness with it. She shook his hand, how did he do that anyway? He always tried to put in a joke no matter how serious he was being. And it always worked, it always softened the tension in the room. Or maybe it was just her? "Not now Rei, he's actually answering questions here, think of something." She asked the first thing that came to her head.

"Why do you go by Dimmer anyway?"

"The street lamps."

"Street lamps?"

"Yup. Back at home the boys all noticed that street lamps started turning out on me whenever I walked down a street, it made everything "dimmer".

"Is that all there is to it?"

"Well…" Dimmer sighed, "I really don't like my real name."

"I can't understand why. Arkand sounds kind of cool to me."

"Yeah, I guess. But that name represents the person who I was, not the person I am."

"Dimmer… Who was Arkand?" Looks like this is it. He found his place to start. She listened closely. 

"… Arkand… no. "I" was a kid without a care in the world. Well, not to say without a care. I was beat up everyday since I moved to Cape Breton until I got fast enough to get away."

"You were being bullied?"

"Just at first, it wasn't until later that they actually went out of their way to come after me."

"Sounds like something happened to bring this about. Is this about the rumors you mentioned before?"

"Yes. Thanks to them, People thought I was gay."

"So?"

Dimmer smiled at Rei. She had really no idea. "Being gay isn't looked too much as such a bad thing here I guess, but believe me to the gangs in my neighborhood, the last thing they would ever say was "so?".

"What do you mean?"

"Rei, I was an outcast as it was. People didn't like me. When rumor went around that I was gay it got worst."

"Dimmer…" Rei looked down at her feet. She knew what it was like to be different, to be an outcast. Her closest friends, until Chad came along, were her crows. She still found them closer than most. People were a little spooked by her, so she never had any friends. Than Chad came along. She was mostly annoyed with him to start, but that was because he was a person. She didn't know how to be friends, and to meet one who wanted to be her friend despite what the rumors said was an entire new experience for her.

Than, there was Serena. She would never judge just by what she heard. She always believed there was good in everyone, and for it she had grown popular with everyone. Her friendly attitude had reached the hearts of all who knew her. Even herself, despite their many fights. She respected her as a leader, but mostly, she loved her as a friend. She got along well with all the other scouts, but she never had a closer human friend than Serena or Chad.

Dimmer must've had a similar experience. She looked back up to him.

"Why did they think you were gay anyway?"

"The rumor was spread by two old friends. You have to know the way I think Rei. Worthless, I liked her, but only because she was my friend when few would admit to being so. Maybe I liked her too much?"

"I don't think I understand…" Dimmer is secretive even when he's being open. Why is he so cryptic sometimes…

"Rei. I was the worst person around. People didn't like me, and would go around looking for me just to beat the hell outta me for fun. But for some reason one girl took notice of me. I could never tell you why, her reasons are her own. 

"But Dimmer, you aren't anything bad, why would people hate you so much?"

"I was the new guy, and a wuss. Cape Breton respects strength, and people who stand up for themselves. I never did, never saw the point of it. If I fought like the way they wanted me too I would lose no matter what."

"Now that doesn't sound right…"

"Think again Rei. I get nauseous at the sight of blood remember? I punch them, they bleed, I throw up, and get the shit kicked outta me while spewing up on the ground. Either that or They punch me, I bleed, I throw up, They beat the piss outta me while I spew on the ground. Beginning to see the pattern here?"

"Yeah, I see how that could hold you back."

"Running was the only thing that made sense. So I ran. I gave up without trying even once, yet I still had friends, only 2 at the time, but they were close to me."

"One was _her_ huh?"

"One night she asked me out. I said no."

Rei looked back down at her feet. "Why? You obviously liked her. And she sounds nice."

"I couldn't date anyone back there. I don't hate anyone enough. I could never put her through that."

"Huh?" Rei looked up with a questioning look. 

"My reputation would proceed her Rei. The moment people would find out. She would soon be getting the same treatment as me. And the fights between the girls were often more brutal than any I've ever been in with the ones between guys. Sure I was left bloody and broken on the ground, but at least I had no real scars, and most of my hair left. Fights between girls often left you with all of the above. I know the trouble she'd get herself into by going out with me, even if she wasn't willing to admit it. I knew she'd have the courage to stand up for me even when I didn't have enough to stand up for myself. She would be hurt, and all I'd be able to do is throw up at the sight of her blood on the ground. I liked her too much to let something like that happen. There was no one I hated enough to put through that kind of punishment. I couldn't even wish it on those that caused it. So like I said: "Who could I possibly hate enough to let them love me?"

"Dimmer…" Shadows hid Rei's expression. When Dimmer looked to see what she would say, he could read nothing from her, so what came next was a complete surprise.

She punched him. 

She punched him so hard he flew back into her wall. A small trickle of blood ran from his nose as he stumbled back to his feet. Was that real? Had Rei just hit him? The evidence was all around him, but it didn't seem like reality. He thought she'd understand, her more than any of the others, except maybe Amy. Pain. He was familiar with it, more than anything else. He knew it better than any one he was certain. There was a pain he hadn't felt in a long time though. It was a pain from the heart. It was the first time he opened it since the last time it was shattered by Malene. Than Rei had done the same. He stood to his feet. He felt pain before. Physically, she couldn't hurt him, but mentally she might have been able to destroy him.

But not now. He withstood the blow to his heart, but unlike any other fights he couldn't throw a punch of any kind back. She didn't even know half of the story, and already she hated him. Than if that was how it would be…

Rei was seething. Was he so damn blind? That poor girl did everything she could! She was sure she hadn't even heard the rest of the story yet, but she knew already. She knew she probably just hurt Dimmer more than she ever could. He wanted someone to understand him. But understand him was the last thing Rei could do. All she seen was the hurt in that young girl as she watched her friend pounded right in front of her very eyes day after day. "Oh no…" She thought as she watched him stand up, wavering a little. He walked wobbly over to her and fell to his knees though his back was still straight. There was a determined look on his face. It was a look that said… "I don't know what I've done, but you hit me. I must deserve it."

"Why?" It was all she could say as the shadow covering her expression still held.

Dimmer just continued to stare at her.

"Because I deserve it. I always have."

"You bastard! You don't even know what you're talking about!"

"There's gotta be a reason. Just because I don't know it doesn't mean there isn't one. I've never been all that smart."

"Listen to you! I've never been all that smart. I've never been much of a fighter. I've never been all that great with people. Silence, solitude, darkness. They rule my life. I fake happiness to keep my friends happy. I never cry because I'm supposed to be tough. I've never been good at that either. I'm a wimp, I'm a wuss! That's all I ever hear from you!!" The shadow hiding her expression burned away as her anger surged forth, and she picked him up by his shirt collar He never made the attempt to regain his balance, he just let her hold him by his color and waited for whatever she wanted to throw at him next.

"Ever since I met you, you were better than me at everything! Not all that smart?! You learned a new language in two weeks, and how to read it the third! Fighter?! You're only the best any has ever seen! Not good with people, and you're constantly being worried about by all of us, ALL OF US! My grandfather! Chad! Serena! Lita! ME?! You've convinced yourself you're worthless, just so it won't hurt as much when something painful happens! Now answer my question! WHY?!

"I… I don't understand." The bewildered look of confusion covered every feature on his face.

"Of course you don't you've thought yourself so worthless you couldn't see things from her perspective! Why?! You should have let her! She just wanted to protect you from the pain she constantly saw you in!" Rei let go of his collar and he fell back on his knees as before.

"She had seen you were a good person and didn't deserve that Dimmer! Why can't you see that?! Why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you let her protect you?" Rei's shouting broke into sobs, "Why wouldn't you let her help protect you from all the pain she always seen you in? She loved you Dimmer…" She got down on her own knees and hugged the stunned boy as she cried into his shoulder.

He didn't know how she had done it, but Rei seen it all. Something he'd been trying to do for years. Malene had turned into a bitch, Russell told him. He never saw, never thought, never could've possibly imagined it. She did it all for him. She wanted to prove to him that she was tough enough to handle the gangs. That she was strong enough for both of them. Even the rumors made sense now. When she found that he still didn't see the truth, she tried to force him to see it by giving him no other alternatives. First gay. No girl would go near him, but she found that it hadn't worked. So rape. She would be the only one to believe him. It was than his life changed. She couldn't have saw the change coming. She didn't know what that saying that had done to him. How was she to know? He never let any sad feelings show. He never let anyone know that even before the rape rumors came in he was in a sort of depression. She didn't know that he nearly threw himself away because of it! He turned into a jerk, and did some soul searching. 

You see Dimmer always believed in one thing. Before you stand up for what you believe in and who you are, first figure out just what you believe in, and just who that is. 

After that rainy night on the cliff edge, that's exactly what he had done. He was soul searching for years before he found what morals and things he believed in. He was still trying to figure out the second one, but soul searching, he believed, was a life long journey anyway. But the gangs that bothered him, he now found ways around. He "believed," violence may solve some things, but it certainly didn't solve everything. So the people that hated the way he did things judged him harshly. It didn't matter to him, he also believed everyone was entitled to their own opinions. He seen good people come out of bad homes, and bad people come out of good homes, and the opposites of that too. He found friends that were closer than even his own family. People that trusted him more than the rumors, more than his own parents…

Malene couldn't have known what she did for him. She was the reason he was who he was. Whoever that might end up being. He could never thank her enough. He was indebted to her more than he could ever believe, and he never knew just how much until now. And now there was another person he was indebted to.

"She loved you Dimmer…" He heard Rei's voice as a sad whisper in his ear, "And you wouldn't love her back…"

The one who opened his eyes to all of this, had opened his eyes to something else as well. He suffered from his fall, and it was her face he woke up to.

*shot of Rei shaking him on the hospital bed*

The one who always tries to make sure he got enough sleep, before he tires himself out…

*shot of Rei yelling at him to get back to his room*

The one who comes after me…

*shot of Rei looking up at Dimmer as he sang sadly in the tree over looking the ocean*

The one to keep the darkness from my eyes…

*A shot of Rei smiling as she tied the hair clasps in to keep his bangs out of his eyes*

The one to opened my eyes completely…

She kneeled there, still crying silently as it was sinking into his mind.

Malene wasn't the only one who loved him, who wanted to protect him.

Rei felt her shoulders being pushed away to an arms distance. She was so emotionally drained it was only his strong hands that stopped her from falling over completely. She looked to his eyes. She wasn't sure when they'd closed the distance between each other, but they never spoke a word. It was the light in his eyes that told her he finally understood. It was the tears flowing freely that told her that his heart had been opened. It was the kiss they shared that told her that Dimmer had finally learned how to love. Their arms were fiercely wrapped around each other. It was the fact they stayed that way for the rest of the night told her he wanted to remain that way, forever.

THE NEXT MORNING:

Chad had just finished speaking.

"What?! No!" 

Chad looked up at Amy seriously. 

"Why would I lie?" It was more a statement than a question. 

"It… it doesn't make sense… Dimmer…" Amy knew it wasn't true. The trouble was it all made too much sense. He was always secretive about his past. But she always assumed it was because something hurt him, not that he hurt someone else. 

Not her Dimmer!

Rape? He couldn't have! It was nothing like him, or anything she ever knew him to be. But why would Chad lie? He was his best friend! Her mind told her it was possible, but her heart argued against it with all of its strength.

Darien sat thoughtfully, and decided, like Chad, it didn't matter what past Dimmer had. He was a friend. One that would not betray him or any of his friends. He was above all else honorable.

Lita just looked astonished, than angry. Some things could not be forgiven. She would confront Dimmer about this. If this was true, she would… she would… She didn't know… It just seemed so… so… not Dimmer…

Mina looked down, Dimmer was a jerk, but wasn't that a little bit far? But it could be true. Chad said so. But Chad also pointed out that this reality could be different form the one he was from. Truthfully she had no idea of what to think. It seemed like he didn't want to believe it either. Only Dimmer knew for certain..

They had no idea that Dimmer and Rei now stood in the entrance of the dojo. They heard what Chad had said and now stood watching the scouts reactions. Rei simply cocked an eyebrow at him.

He murmured something about the last rumor, and she understood. He once said his past wasn't dark, just a couple of bad rumors, the first one she knew was being gay. Rape must have been the last one. Okay, that young girl may have went a little too far with that one…

Dimmer looked at Amy. He knew the conflict there. He seen it many times, she wouldn't believe that he had raped anyone. He knew, and a sense of pride grew there. Amy was the first person he'd truly met in this world. He felt more than just friendship. 

A sister? 

No. _Closer._

Family? 

Beyond any doubt. 

What hurt were the silent, deciding gazes of the others. Those who actually had to decide from logic if he did it or not. It was a look he knew well, seen among all of his friends back home, who were with him during the ordeal, save one. Mike had always believed…

*shot of mike, his dark black hair coming down hiding his cheeks, in his base ball hat smiling and giving a peace sign*

Than there was Mitchell and Katie.

*shot of Katie and her short curly hair only coming down to the base of her neck (only short compared to Dimmer's and Mike's, who looked like twins before Dimmer's hair clasps were put in) smiling and waving, and Mitchell with his arms folded giving a sarcastic looking smirk*

Both of them came after everything that happened, they didn't know everything that went on, but they never believed in the rumors either. That was more than his family could say…

His own parents had that same silent, deciding look when they first found out. His father, always a mountie first. His mother. He just couldn't believe it… it had hurt more than most. He was never close to either of them ever again. Neither had ever figured out why either. It was his surprise when Serena stood up.

Serena stood. "It doesn't make sense, Amy, 'cause we know it isn't true. I don't know about other realities, but if they are anything like the Dimmer I know, it isn't true for them either. I'm not smart. I don't pretend to be either. I don't know about dimensions, despite all of our training, I'm still a bit of a klutz, and almost all my grades are low and below average, but I do know Dimmer would never do anything like that! Everything I ever see in Dimmer. The sad looks, how he smiles just to keep us happy… and when he didn't remember who he was, the happiest person there was around! He loved everyone and everything! Life was just a little more fun whenever he was around." 

Amy smiled brightly at Serena. She should have known right away. Her heart should guide her in a situation like this, not her mind.

Darien stood up. "Dimmer didn't do it." he stated as if it was obvious. "Hell probably froze over from me saying this, but Serena's right."

"You know what?" Lita stood up among the other two. "You're right. Mina, You don't know Dimmer, but I was here to see it all happen. Dimmer would never do anything of the sort, and Chad do you really think he ever could?"

Chad looked down. "No, I don't. I just wasn't sure what to do when Ken told me this. I thought it was important for each of you to decide yourselves."

"Ken?" Lita looked questioningly at Chad before her thoughts were interrupted 

"You know Lita… They say you can tell a lot about someone, by the friends they surround themselves with, and I know I haven't known him very long," Mina stood up as she spoke, "You are the most trusting, and true group of friends I've ever met. How could I believe that of any of you."

Dimmer looked upon the group. Only Chad was still sitting, he smiled, and that was only because the bumb was probably too lazy to stand up. "Thank you Serena," he mouthed the words but did not say them, "you didn't even doubt me for a second."

"Besides…" Mina continued with a smile, "he's kinda cute."

"I AM NOT CUTE!!!"

"Uh oh…" Only Mina and Darien didn't say it with everyone else as Dimmer stood seething at the door.

"You just had to go and say it didn't you…" an exhausted Serena managed to wheeze out to a just as exhausted Mina.

"I didn't know!"

"Hey! No talking! Ten more laps. If you guys can't out last me, than you cannot beat me!"

" If you can't beat one guy, how can you expect to take on a whole other dimension?!" An angry Dimmer called out behind them as he jogged along and had hardly broken a sweat yet. "We'll see just how cute I am after this now won't we?" He grinned maniacally.

Sailor Moon says: "You know trust is really important between friends, but Faith can be worth even more. There are lots of people out there that have no faith in themselves, and worse, they haven't met anyone else who has faith in them. It's very important to remember that not everything you hear is true, if it doesn't sound right, and you heard it from bad rumors, questionable sources, or just plain old gossip it probably isn't true.

"Great now if she'll only take her own advice."

"Hey Luna! I'm a friend with the school's informant of the latest gossip. With Melvin around how can I help it? Oh well, Sailor Moon says!

Reality check:

Mike, Mitchell, and Katie blinked. 

"I had no idea…" Katie continued to stare as the commercials came on.

"I knew he was depressed… but I didn't know he felt like that… He was even better at keeping to himself than I thought. I should have said something…"

"It doesn't matter Mike." Mitchell got up and shut the TV off. "They managed to fix him up, he's got Rei now. She'll help him through anything. He's got a lot of other good friends there too. But now we have to look out for ourselves."

Both Katie and Mike looked up at him. What did he mean by that?

He looked back at them, his usual stern look had somehow managed to get a little harder. "He said Katie's name. I think that Malene's hate mail is gonna go down big time, but since he actually mentioned us all again by name. Not only that, but also they gave pictures of us. It's too obvious who we are now."

"Meow? So that's what I look like anime style…" Katie grinned. Mike laughed and Mitchell shook his head. He wasn't as fanatical over anime as his friends. Last week's episode Mike was spelling trouble for Dimmer, this week, it was spelling trouble for them…

Endnotes:

;_; I finally put those two together… I actually wasn't sure if I was gonna, I don't wanna be like every other fic out there ya know? 

*whining* but I couldn't help it!!

well this was the big one folks! Won't be another for… well, I'll just say keep an eye out on that moon eh? Once It's full things gets CrrraazZyY!

I put a lot of thought into this one so please! Please! Please! Review me and tell me what you think? Okay? Please?

*Looking back up at fic* … I so love that whole "I am not Cute" thing It's just so fun to do… now how to actually use it in an important way… meh, I'll figure some thing out, wanna see? Well keep reading the chapters and you'll find out! 

Peace ouT!

^_^  
V


	25. Trying to Tie Loose Ends

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

Dimmer went to work at Kintaro's Video that afternoon, in a completely uplifted mood. The kindergarten's concert would be in a week, and they were doing really well. He scratched his arms; he'd been scratching them and most of his body a lot lately.

"Must be getting' a rash or be allergic to somethin'…" He thought to himself. He had been sitting at the counter for awhile and served quite a few customers, the place was starting to get popular around there. They were moving some tables into a back room for card games, comics and coffee for anyone who just wanted to hang out. Right now though it was the quiet hour before the shift change. Kintaro hired on another two employees, and there really wasn't much left for Dimmer to do, so Kintaro put him on as a clerk. 

"I can't letcha go me b'y, you own dis 'ere shop as much as me!" Kintaro told him when Dimmer questioned him about it. Dimmer had been there from the beginning and knew what Kintaro meant; this place would have been dead if he hadn't gotten Serena to let the word out. Still he didn't like being kept on simply because the owner didn't wanna let him go though. Kintaro will be losing money keeping someone he doesn't need on the payroll…

As the quiet set in Dimmer turned to his thoughts, not dark thoughts, just thoughts. He tried to remember what it was he didn't remember. Valor said that he still had repressed memories that neither of the other two had. 

It came up in his head as a math problem to him for some reason. Despite his relative dislike for math…

Valor + Sundown + himself = one whole Dimmer. 

Therefore:

Valor's memories + Sundown's memories + some repressed memories he had, and the ones he had now = one whole Dimmer's memories.

So he thought, but as far as he could see, the only thing he couldn't remember anything about his life other than his memories as a child, which he already found out Valor had, was his falling into this world, but didn't he pass out? Not a lot to remember when your unconscious.

"Okay than what happened before and after that?" He asked himself out loud. 

Flashback:

*Shot of Dimmer looking tired and walking into his living room dressed only in a blue pair of jeans and no shirt. *

He picked up a paddle and tried to play a game without realizing that only the TV was on and not the game console. When he did realize what he was doing he put down the controller to watch Sailor Moon. Not long after…

*Shot of Dimmer getting sucked into TV*

*Shot of Dimmer dusting off his jacket, shirt, jeans, and backpack as he gets out of the crater*

"Hey hold it right there!" The scene paused in Dimmer's head, "When did I get dressed? Do people who fall through their TV's just get clothes stuffed on them before impacting into busy intersections? I don't think so!"

"Umm… excuse me? Could I get a review on this game?"

"Huh? Oh sorry, that's Xenogears. A Role-playing game about mechs, philosophy, and insanity. Five stars. A personal fave if I do say so myself. It's an oldie but a goodie."

"Thanks, I'll get it."

"That's $2.50 a night." (I have no idea what that is in yen so go with it) "And you'll probably wanna keep it for the rest of the week, it's a wee bit addictive."

"Alright, here you go, thanks."

"No prob." Dimmer waved at the young girl as she ran out. "Now what was I thinking? Meh, couldn't have been too important, it'll come back to me if it was."

He shrugged and scratched his arm.

Later that day:

"Well I did everything he told me to do I think…" Dimmer said, more to himself than to Rei, who stood beside him. How did my dagger get in your room anyway? I spent most of the day looking for it."

"I don't know Dimmer. It wasn't there, than it was." Rei didn't tell him about Sundown. After Dimmer told her all about his conversation with Valor, she was more convinced now than ever that getting rid of Sundown was the right thing to do for Dimmer, especially if this worked. Now they stood in the park Rei had found him in awhile ago, the one over looking Tokyo's harbor. Dimmer was holding the dagger in his hands and just staring down on it. Everything Valor had told him to do had made his life so much happier. The burden was lifted off of his shoulders, and the trust he lost in people was alive and well. She couldn't help but smile. Neither of them mentioned too much about that night they had together. She could tell Dimmer was completely new to the whole experience, not that she wasn't of course, but a night like that was something she'd always wished for, while he never even imagined it.

"I'm gonna try it." Dimmer continued to look at the dagger lying in his hands.

"You look nervous, but it really doesn't matter. You don't want to turn into him again, that's good enough for me. You don't have to see if it still works."

"No Rei. I made a promise. I'm gonna do everythin' in my power to keep it too."

He held out the dagger. It started to glow that familiar black energy. Dimmer hesitated. Than he smiled. Even if this still worked, everything he had done would not be without reward. He now had the same trust in his friends that they had always held for him, now he could see he wasn't worthless. He was worth life, worth worrying about, worth friendship, and worth love. He was worth so much to the people he cared about, and that made this one thing worth very little to him. None of them would think less of him if he still transformed; they would just help him search out the answer as to how to stop it some other way. Hesitation gone, he called out what had always been the first sign of pain. The first words to the dreaded and well-known call line Sundown used.

"I am the event before death."

Nothing. It was a good sign, but he continued.

"I am the darkness that clouds the sight!"

Again nothing. No tendrils of black energy, just the glowing of the dagger.

"I am the silence that echoes through the mind!"

He smiled. Now He was anything but. He laughed and joked, and smiled for real with all of the girls, Chad and Darien, Pidge and John, it didn't matter who, and it didn't matter when. The smiles would come from nowhere. Just like when he first arrived. Wacky, nuts, they all called him it, but it didn't matter, because one thing they all knew. He was happy

"I am the solitude that envelops the soul."

He could feel the small trace of a tear on his cheeks as Rei came up behind and hugged him. "It's not working is it Dimmer?"

"I am the end of the day and the beginning of the night!"

He couldn't keep the happy tone from his voice, and all of this just sounded stupid now. None of this was anything like him.

"I am not, nor ever will be again, the Sundown…"

He turned his head to smile at Rei, and received a kiss for his victory. It was the best reward he could have hoped for. He turned his gaze back out over the ocean. They both stood together looking out and watching waves roll in.

"You did it." Rei whispered, "Tomorrow night is the new moon, and you figured it all out."

"Well… I wouldn't say that. There's still this whole memory thing, not to mention restoring fate." He laughed as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well you've done enough. Let's worry about that after, okay?"

"Yeah, you're right. Tomorrow night's the new moon, and I did it with a whole day to spare!" He turned around and gave a peace sign and a large grin that nearly covered his freckled face.

"Dimmer when was the last time I called you a nut bar?"

"This morning I think…"

"You're due."

"Huh?"

"You," He received a teasing smack in the back of the head, "are a nut bar."

"Thank you."

"Why is that not an insult to you?"

"Who'd wanna be sane when being nuts is this much fun?!" He jumped up in the tree branches and stood up side down with one hand.

"The worst part about that is you have a point." She laughed, "Now move over I want up too."

He smiled and moved over. "You know Rei, you've changed too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well when I first met you, you had no control over your temper, and you'd get angry over any little thing, I'm glad you loosened up or you would have pushed me into the water by now."

"Dimmer…"

A lovely couple were walking through the park when a scream, followed by a large splash, and than by a lot of yelling caught both of their attention. They wisely decided just to keep moving.

"Ooo! I wish I knew what was taking so long…" Serena was waiting at the entrance of the park not wanting to intrude. That and she had the vague feeling she should let Dimmer and Rei be alone. They had been in there for a bit now and Serena was never the most patient of individuals. She didn't have to wait a second longer Rei stormed by her and Serena was just smart enough to get out of her way. 

"Rei? What happened? Where's Dimmer?" She called out to the raven haired, friend. An angry "hmph" was the only answer she received as she stomped her way past them and over to the parking lot where Amy was waiting.

"Does that mean he transformed?"

"No, I'm pretty sure that means "I'm too angry to speak right now" Serena." Dimmer's voice answered her from behind.

She turned to look at the soggy haired Dimmer as his jeans made slopping sounds as the water was shaken out of them.

"Dimmer…"

"What?" He smiled innocently. He was obviously very amused by everything.

"Nevermind, lets get you back to the temple before you catch cold. You know what Amy would say."

"She'd say, Dimmer what were you thinking? It's late in the year, snow is going to be coming soon, and you decide today is a good day to go swimming in your clothes." Amy's voice surprised both of them.

"Aww Aimes, it ain't that, Rei just got a little upset, is all."

"Yeah I noticed. Dimmer I swear, you're going to be the death of me. Well there's nothing to be done for it. We'll have to call a cab. It's too far to walk like that." She gestured to his state. "Oh well, you can at least tell me if you succeeded or not."

"No more Sundown's for me!" He gave her a thumb's up and a wink.

"Well there's that at least." She smiled and gave a small laugh. "I'm going to go get us a cab, I'll be right back, try not to get into any more trouble Dimmer."

"I won't…"

"As if I actually believe that." Amy smiled again as she walked away toward the phone booth.

"So Dimmer?" Serena came up and gave him a good pat on the back that nearly knocked him over. That and that sneaky grin she had plastered onto her face told Dimmer she was up to something.

"Yes…?" He answered cautiously.

"I want to play a mind game Amy taught me."

"And that is?"

"It's a word association game. I say a word and you tell me the first word that comes to mind. Want to play?"

"Okaaaay…" he answered suspiciously. What was she up to?

"Alright. First one is .."Dimmer"…"

"Street lamp."

"Food?"

"Cheesy poof."

"Night?"

"Cold"

"Day?"

"Chad"

"Inspire?"

"Cheesy poof."

"Denim?"

"Me"

"Love?"

"Cheesy poof." "So that's what all this is about. Gee I wonder what's coming up next…" Dimmer thought sarcastically, and decided his answer before she could say the name.

"Rei?"

"Jail bait"

"Huh?"

"A word that symbolizes a verbal shrug."

"Hey! No fair! You can't mean that about Rei!"

"Yup."

"But you're both fifteen! Heck she's taller than you."

"Physically only, in mind I'm 22 years old. I know what you're trying to get at but these things shouldn't be hurried Serena... besides you're wrong on both accounts. I'm sixteen, I'm a shrimp remember?"

"Ooo Nevermind that! I know you love her Dimmer! And she isn't all that great about hiding her feelings about you."

"When did the girl without a boyfriend become the guru of love?"

"Who cares about that?! When you love someone you should hold on to it with everything you have!"

"You're right."

"I am?" Serena was gearing up for an argument and that threw her off completely.

"Of course, I agree completely, but just because you hold onto it doesn't mean you should rush into things you may not be ready for. I know Rei probably told you guys about us, but I just don't wanna rush things, or get into things too quick. You get me?"

"No…" 

"I think Rei's too young for things to get too serious right now. If we hold up for a year or so I think it'd be for the better."

"I don't think Rei agrees with you there Dimmer." Amy walked back from the phone booth, looking over in Rei's direction. She was still fuming silently to herself.

"I know Aimes, Rei tries to be as grown up as she can, but inwardly she's still just a kid. I'm kinda the opposite, inwardly I grew up, but outwardly in my actions and form, I still try to be a kid."

"Love isn't supposed to care about age you know Dimmer, and it isn't supposed to only come when it's a good time for us."

"You may be right Aimes. I'll think about it some more, but whether it's her or me that ain't ready, it's still goin' to take some time. I just thought it would be better for us both."

"So now the guy who has never had a girlfriend before in his life is the guru on love?"

"Hey! No stealin' my lines! I thought I told you that already."

"I'll say now what I said than, you have nothing to hold me to that, and stop trying to change the subject!"

"Dammit! She saw through it…uuuh uuh uh… I know!" Dimmer glomped on to Amy.

"Aaaaggh! Dimmer! No! I'm soaked!"

Rei walked back over from the parking lot, "The taxi's here. Dimmer? Why did you soak Amy?"

"You want a hug too Rei?"

"No!! Dimmer!!!"

But it was too late, Dimmer latched himself onto her, and swung her around in a circle a few times, so not only was Rei soaked, she was also a little dizzy…

Serena and decided (wisely) that it would be a good time to get to the taxi.

"Time to go!" Serena called out behind to her, now, three thoroughly soaked friends.

That evening:

Dimmer listened to the girls blab on about this and that before getting an earache out of it all and went back to his room. It was a quiet day, not a single attack. That usually meant the Negaverse was planning something, so everyone was ready to be called out any minute, everyone but him that is. He wanted to help, but it was his help that got them into this mess in the first place. Still he didn't mind all that much, Valor would make sure things followed fate's path again now. In that way he could say he was still protecting them. He looked over to his backpack on his bed…

There was something about it, telling him to remember something…

He just couldn't put his finger on what…

Than it hit him, what he was thinking about that morning.

He quickly went over to it and dumped it out over his bed, along with anything else he had since that first day.

He heard a knock at his door.

"Come in."

"It's just me Dimmer."

"Oh hi Aimes, what can I do for ya?"

"I heard you throwing stuff around in here so I wanted to know what you were doing." She looked disdainfully at the mess on his bed than back up at him.

"Oh sorry about that. This is all the stuff I arrived in your world with."

"Yes, I remember. You were quite a sight coming out of that crater with it all. You looked like you were traveling that way for years."

"Well it just occurred to me I may have."

"What do you mean?" Amy walked in, closing the door behind her. She knew how paranoid Dimmer got when a door was left open. Especially when it was his own. 

"Well Amy as far as I know, none of this stuff is mine. When I went through my TV, I was only in a pair of jeans and nothing else. I just got up."

"Than where did all this stuff come from?"

"No idea, but I never saw any of this stuff before I came here. I did own a shirt and jacket a lot like these ones though. The backpack is completely new, besides. Even the jeans aren't mine, all my stuff would be too big on the body I'm in now."

"What?! Why didn't you think of any of this before?!"

"Hey, now isn't the time to call me an idiot. Now is the time to figure out where some of this came from, and how I got my hands on it."

"Of course you're right Dimmer. I'll call you an idiot later. Does any of it seem familiar?"

"Very funny." He responded sarcastically. "Actually it all does. Even the broken digital wristwatch I found in the front pocket of the backpack. All of my watches are usually broken through some way or another so it's no surprise."

"Hmm… interesting. Not as much as your reaction to being called cute though. Is it true you can no longer become Sundown Young Master?" A shadowy figure stood in Dimmer's now open window.

Both Amy and Dimmer jumped at the voice coming from Dimmer's window.

"Talenite?! Jeez man… ya startled me. To what do we owe this visit, I see you have been spying on me."

"Well that's the job you've given me is it not?"

"Well I hope you're not going to betray us now. You do realize when going all out any one of the scouts can now take you out."

"Oh no Young Master, I wouldn't dream of it. I've grown rather fond of your way of thinking. Besides, Beryl is almost finished with me. I still need a place to go afterward."

"Glad to hear it, I suppose this isn't a house call though…"

"No I only wish it was so. Malachite is not the fool Zoicite is, and he has mapped out the scout's true abilities Young Master. An attack force the likes none have seen comes tomorrow at night fall when they are at their strongest. Even with your training they cannot survive. They gather the crystal bearers tomorrow night after the attack, and will kill all who get in the way.

"Can they really defeat them all Talenite?"

"Yes Master. The creatures you and the girls have taken to call demons are actually nightmares, creatures from the Nightmare Realm dreamt up from thoughts of this world. Many fears live there. The fears are what we summon. Beryl has mastered this and is in the process of summoning the king of that dimensional realm. He will be beyond all of you. You see your summoning abilities only lie in what you can defeat. Defeat it once and it is yours to summon. Beryl has defeated the King of Nightmares. He is what would be considered to all as a true demon."

"This is not good, but we gotta do somethin'. Amy? Tell the girls we have to come up with a plan. Talenite how long do you have?"

"This time I shall have to stay here permanently Young Master. If I go back, I'll have outlived my usefulness."

"Great, you can help us plan than. If we're going to lose, lets take more than a few of her goons with us, and remember fate is on our side now. We may just get through this."

"Very well Young Master. I believe this will be interesting. You don't mind if I do not fight?"

"Of course not, no offense Talenite, but you'd just get in everyone else's way. You'll have to stick back with me. I can't fight anymore either."

"That's exactly what I like to hear. Let's get to work, I thought this might be the case, so I already have a few ideas to start with."

"Welcome to the team Tale."

"Tale?"

"People will start looking at you weird with a name like Talenite. It sounds like your some weird type of rock… Stick with Tale, you can just say it's your nick name for now."

"Very well…"

"And call me Dimmer. People will start thinking you're my slave if they keep hearing "Young Master" all the time.

"Very well Dimmer… Let us begin."

"Dimmer can you please stop that, you're going to scratch the skin right off your arms."

"Sorry Aimes, I'm just so itchy lately. I think I'm getting a rash or something."

"Really? Oh well it doesn't matter. Stop scratching, or it will only get worse, I'll see if Rei has any ointment. She wants to do an aura reading on you too. We'll see what Talenite has to say, you go see to that first."

"Okay Aimes. She just did one not too long ago though. What's she lookin' for?"

"Best to go and ask her to find out. Talenite? Come with me to the other room. We'll start with what attack force they'll be sending and where we are supposed to meet them. Any ideas what type of plans they'll be using?"

"No Miss Amy. Malachite is the best Negaverse general there is. My departure probably means he knows who I have sided with. Zoicite and Malachite will change their plans completely. On the other hand your identities are still secret."

"A shame, their battle plans would have been a great asset to have known…" Amy said as she left the room Talenite following behind.

Dimmer watched them go, stunned. "Hey… I thought he was supposed to be "my" spy." Dimmer groaned. "I'm hardly going to be a part of this at all any more! Aww…"

He walked dejectedly after them to go find Rei, reaching behind his back in irritation to get at an itch there. "I gotta take a bath or somethin'. Showers aren't doin' nothin' for this."

"Hi Dimmer!" Serena called from Rei's room as he walked by, "Rei said she'd meet you by the sacred flame."

"Thanks Serena." Dimmer smiled as he walked by. "Oh well might as well make the best of it. Wonder why Rei ain't with the others any way."

Dimmer walked into the dark room to see Rei already had everything prepared and was praying to the fire.

"Come sit beside me Dimmer." She said without looking up. 

Dimmer walked over as silently as he could to sit beside her. It seemed like it would be a crime to disturb the sacredness of this scene.

"Now open your mind just like I taught you to do last time… That was pretty quick Dimmer, much better than last time. Have you been practicing?"

"No."

Rei almost gritted her teeth. How come he could do these things so quick and easy without even trying to learn! At least she was able to sense his presence this time when he walked in. She could also read his aura a lot easier, in fact it almost illuminated for those to see around him. "What the…?" Last time she could hardly get through, and this time it was as if it was just beyond being seen by regular people out on the street! And here she was expecting a challenge… 

"Nevermind that for now," she thought, "Focus on what you're doing."

And that is exactly what she did. Inside Dimmer's aura was composed of three main colors. White and gray, and more white than gray. The black had gone completely. This was beyond all she had hoped, but there was something else there that caught her eye. The green that was there had also grown at an extreme rate. It before was just an outline, now it had sunk in and was a main part of his aura! There was even more green than there was of either white or gray! 

"What is that?!"

"Huh? I'm sorry. I wasn't concentrating Rei. It's this damn itchiness…"

"What?! Not concentrating! Than how did you keep your mind open like that!"

Dimmer made a small noise that slightly resembled the phrase "I don't know" and shrugged.

Rei tried to keep from growling. He didn't even have to concentrate!! She wanted to kick him, all her life she trained to be as good as she was, and here he is…. Instead she spoke obviously trying to remain calm. 

"No, it's not that Dimmer. It's your aura."

"What about it?"

"Your aura is going green almost completely!"

"So? I'm becoming more in tune with nature? Big deal, that's like a good thing isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess I am overreacting a little bit."

"Yeah, you worry too much… Dammit!" He scratched at his head furiously, "If I don't do something about this I'm gonna start bleedin'! And if I start bleedin' I'm gonna start pukin'! I'm going in for a long bath. Talenite's here, the others are already setting up for a major attack tomorrow he's warned us about."

"Okay. I'll see if I can find some ointment for you, and talk to grandfather about your aura. If anyone can tell us what's going on, he can."

"Yeah, you're telling me. I don't see him near as much anymore. I miss talkin' to the old guy."

"Well you haven't been around near as much anymore."

"Yeah that's true, but that's all gonna change very soon."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I ain't needed at Kintaro's anymore, so I sent in my notice. Workin' there is just gonna be a hobby for me from now on, and I finished my job at the arcade yesterday. After I'm finished with the kids in spring, I'll be here full time from there on after."

"That's great Dimmer, I'm glad you're committing yourself to… the temple." Rei gave him a small smile and looked away from him.

"Yeah." Dimmer turned her chin back to look at him. "Me too." He smiled and let his hand fall from her face. 

"I can't wait to devote all my time to learning martial arts!" He laughed.

A vein throbbed on Rei's forehead. It was Dimmer's only warning before he was launched into a wall.

"Ow…" He got back up smiling with his eyes closed, "You know you're getting' a lot better at that lately…"

"You're giving me lots of practice, you better make up your mind quick or I'm gonna get really upset and make it for you! Hmph!"

"Heh. I'm sure you will. Don't worry Rei. Just a little time is all I'm askin'." He smiled cheerfully.

"A little, is all I'm giving you." She smiled back at him mischievously. "If you don't start, I'm taking over." She went to walk out into the hall and to her room with the other, but turned around when she heard singing from behind her.

"I swear…" Dimmer's soft voice echoed off of the walls around him.

"by the stars and the moon in the sky"

Rei paused, suddenly transfixed his words. She once again understood every word, even though it was in a foreign language. "Even his voice is special. Why could he never see this?" she asked herself in thoughts

And I swear 

like the shadow that's by your side

"What do you swear Dimmer?" she asked quietly as she walked toward him. In response he tapped his lips with his finger, a gesture for her to stop talking, and smiled as he continued his song, and reached his hand out for hers.

I see the questions in your eyes

I know what's weighing on your mind

You can be sure I know my heart

Did he really see what she was thinking? She blushed slightly as she took his hand. 

Cause I'll stand beside you through the years

You'll only cry those happy tears

And though I make mistakes…

I'll never break your heart

They danced slowly in the darkness. Rei silently taught him how. Dimmer couldn't help but be touched. He never knew, never learned how… who was there to teach him?

"and I swear 

by the moon and the stars in the sky

I'll be there

and I swear

like a shadow that's by your side

I'll be there

For better or worse

'til death do us part

I'll love you with every beat of my heart

I swear"

"He loves me."

A tear ran down Rei's cheek. She knew he loved her, but to hear the words, for the first time. She only heard that line. "I'll love you with every beat of my heart." She hugged him tightly.

I'll give you everything I can

I'll build your dreams with these two hands

And we'll hang some memories on the wall

And when just the two of us are there

You won't have to ask if I still care

Cause as the time turns the page

My love won't age at all

So he was willing to commit, and he was definitely going to, but something was stopping him right now. But earlier he sang he knew his own heart. She knew he didn't always, and it was because she showed it to him. Suddenly it her! Was he simply asking for her to trust him? Trust, love… "I do Dimmer…" she whispered quietly, "I do trust you, whenever your ready than."

Dimmer smiled hearing this. She understood. She didn't know why he wasn't ready, but she was willing to trust him. She knew that he wanted what she wanted, what was best for both of them.

And I swear

By the moon and the stars

I'll be there

And I swear

Like the shadow that's by your side

I'll be there

For better or worse

'til death do us part

I'll love you with every beat of my heart

I swear

"Is that what he's saying? He'll be there for me? As long as it's possible, he'll be there for me?" Her thoughts wrapped completely around Dimmer's words.

I swear 

By the moon and the stars in the sky

I'll be there

I swear

Like the shadow that's by your side

I'll be there

For better or worse

'til death do us part

I'll love you with every single beat of my heart

I swear

I swear

I swear

"You know Dimmer, just because I agree to wait, doesn't mean you won't get kissed," She thought to herself as held him tighter still, not giving him room to get out of her grip, "and now you can't get away."

Dimmer was taken pretty much by surprise when her lips met his. He didn't much have a choice but to smile and accept it. He had to admit, it wasn't a bad surprise. 

"Whoo! Way to go Rei!" Serena's voice called out behind them. They both pulled a way stunned and blushing a bright red.

"Not bad girl!" Lita called out.

"Rei nothin'! Go to it Dimmer!" Chad laughed.

"So this is what you snuck out of our scout meeting for!" Mina called out smiling, "Not that I blame you."

Amy just blushed and giggled quietly, While Luna sat smiling to herself giving them a moment to try to regain their composure, before speaking. "Well as much as I hate to interrupt you Dimmer, I'm afraid we'll have to pull Rei away from you now, we need her to help look over the plans Talenite and Amy came up with."

"Uuh… right. Umm… yeah… I'm going to go to my room now, where I can die in embarrassment by myself. Good night people. Be here bright and early for training tomorrow, cause I think I'm gonna teach you all to learn to knock before entering, and Rei to shut a door behind her when she walks into a room." He quickly pushed by his friends still blushing furiously.

"Well…ahem… What about those plans?" Rei smiled innocently with a large sweatdrop on her head.

Sailor Moons says: 

"So Dimmer and Rei are an item for certain now! I'm really happy for them, and Dimmer is making a lot of sense this episode. There are many times in life we think we really love someone, but that doesn't mean things are going to work out. Sometimes it's best to make sure of everything before stepping into that kind of relationship with anyone. Of course it's impossible to know what's going to happen, but if you rush in you may find yourself unprepared and wishing you had stopped to think about it first. Many times the flame of love could have gone further and burned bright, but had been snuffed out too soon, because people rushed into things too fast.

But remember not to spend your entire life thinking things through until there's no time left to spend with your love.

Ooooo!! I wanna find love too! When's it gonna be my turn!"

*shot of Dimmer and Rei dancing and a sparkling heart shape going around them*

Reality check:

(please assume that everyone in this part is speaking with Cape Breton accents)

"Good luck you two, we're all rooting for you."

Katie got up and peeked out her curtains after the show ended. She was glad to see Dimmer and Rei were doing all right, but she had worries of her own right now. She didn't know how right Mitchell was last week. She had an idea of course, and his comment continued to run through her mind for the rest of the day. The morning after the news crews had found their way to her house, she had been trying to sneak around them for the past week and it hadn't been easy. 

Several times she had gotten Mitchell to call the police to herd them off her lawn. She wouldn't be able to do that for the next little while though…. On the third time she called him up to tell him he walked over with a bat.  
His family had posted bail, and the charges were dropped afterwards. It wasn't as bad for her and Mike after that. Mitchell's violent streak had won over the people, and most were interested in him more than the other two. All three had become over night celebrities, and she had heard Malene wasn't fairing too much better on her end. Not that she ever heard much about her. The truth was she only ever seen her once or twice in school, and Malene had no idea who Katie was, let alone who she hung around with.

Now Katie was hoping to make it to college. She had to skip the past few days, but the news hounds blocked in her car. Mike had borrowed his father's car for her to use, and they had agreed on a place to meet up. She really couldn't afford to miss any more classes. 

Mike couldn't be having to great of a time with this either. The press were having a field day with his family. His father an unemployed alcoholic and his sister had just gotten a transplant. It was like fuel for the flame. She had no idea how he was going to get his car out. 

She climbed out her side window on the first floor, jumped into her neighbor's yard and, ran to the street behind hers, where she saw Mike's car waiting and running. She was going to have to drive, he didn't have his license yet. Luckily he didn't live too far away, so his driving could get him to her house easily enough without being pulled over.

He waved, he was already in the passenger seat.

Katie quickly got in and took off. To the highway.

"Hi Mike."

"Ey." he smiled.

"Thanks for the use of the car."

"Don't worry about it."

"How long do you think they're going to keep this up?"

"I have nooo idea."

"Heh. Lovely." She smiled half-heartedly.

"How'd you like today's episode?"

"I was glad to see Dimmer doing well."

"I'm worried about him."

Kaite just gave him a questioning look. He was in better shape by far compared to them.

"There's going to be a fight soon. His rash thing is getting worse, and his aura is all greenish now? Things have gone weird."

"I don't… know…"

"Well think about it, without Sundown he has no way of protecting himself, the girl's are going to face the Nightmare King."

"I'm sure things'll work out alright. It is anime after all."

"… I've been thinking… anime doesn't have happy endings does it? It all ends in an unsatisfied compromise of something."

"…yeah come to think of it…"

"This does not bode well…"

ENDNOTES:

HELLO!!! Hi all! So I am so extremely late with this update… I'm really really sorry… but projects, and internet problems with FF.net have been running me rabid for the last little while. I suddenly have a little time to spare due to a snowstorm so here I am, uploading this latest installment. 

In further notes I just hit the 20 review mark!! Woot!! I'd like to thank all of those who reviewed so far. It's your encouragement that has gotten me this far.

Usagi-hime- Thanks a lot! I hope you're still reading. You were my first review, and your name has been up there since I uploaded the first chapter of this little story that has grown way too long. It was yours that got me even up to chapter two. I can't thank you enough!

EA Simpson- ^^;; I'm sorry I've never really got to bring in the outers as much as both you and I would've liked. Unfortunately I STILL don't know too much about them, on a good note for ya though, Pluto will be making some definite appearances in the near future, and will play a huge!! part in this very soon.

Dria - Nothing wrong with puns in my book either, but I know plenty of people that don't look at them the same way you and I do XD

I could swear I sent ya some chapters, but my memory (once again) fails me if I actually have or not. Either way, I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far. It's still a long way off from being over, but it's definitely off the ground now =D

Happy reading!!

Eddy- Hey Ed. See ya in class on Monday XP

Li Ying Fa- Once again thanks for the review, I don't usually read original characters myself. I'm not sure what came over me to actually write one XD

Let alone one this long…

One more Cape Bretoner is a lot happier because of your review.

Himitsu-no-hi- Thanks a lot for all of your reviews, and for keeping tabs on this fic with me. I'm more than glad you've enjoyed this fic. I can only hope you and everyone else enjoy reading this fic as much I am writing it. It was with your help a lot of these later chapter have turned anything like they look now, because of your help proof reading (especially in that last chap)

You also are the only reason I have ANYthing in the haiku or poetry sections of FF.net…

Thank you for your review, thanks for the help, and thx even more for being a friend =D

Lord Vulcan- Thx a lot. I try to do a lot with Chad cause everyone, (to my utmost horror) tries to leave out my favorite character of the whole series!! Thank you for noticing it.

Planet- =3 I'm sorry chapter 13 was a little confusing. I hope it's starting to make a little more sense now. Back than it was supposed to be a little confusing just 'cause I'm evil and love mind games XD

I hope you've enjoyed reading up until now, and enjoy the chapters afterward just as much

Kaji- as you may have learned by now, being odd is no reason to apologize… well especially no to me at least =D 

you ain't gonna find too many more people odder than myself.

Also I'm very glad you like your stories long, cause that is definitely one requisite "A change of Fate" fills.

That's two friends this fic has gotten me to meet. I'm happier than ever to write this now. 

Solar-sun- I am sooo glad you liked it =D

And you can be sure more is on it way

I hope to see more of those drawings soon. Sweeeet…

(what did you expect? I'm an aspiring animator of course I'm interested in art XD)

Like Cats- I've seen what you meant. There are a whole lot of fics out there that are only about Serena. But the show kinda did that too… there was never a whole lot on anyone else other than her. Please remember this is going from my knowledge of the first season, the doom tree stuff, the movies, and basic little understanding of anything else. Please bare with me for that too? =3

Of course there is a lot of really good fics on Serena out there to make up for it =D

I can't help but agree though there is a lot of neglecting of other characters on the show. Unimportant people that could be fun to put in the spotlight every now and than. (people like Chad, Greg, Luna, or Artemis per say? XD) and sometimes even the rest of scouts… That is one of the ways I'm definitely trying to originate this fic from a lot of other original character inserts.

Well that's everyone I think…

I'll keep trying to update as much as I can, but it's been taking longer and longer lately, and the stupid thing about it is, I already have the chapters written up!! But as I swore before this fic WILL be finished. Just bare with me okay ? XD

If there's any mistakes in the chapters that you wanna let me know about, grammar, OOC-ness, advice, you want extra uneditted chapters, or if you just want to tell me what you think of this fic, just R&R. I'll do whatever I can 

Peace ouT

^_^ V


	26. The Story Begins

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

It was a while before everyone settled down to work again. It was Talenite and Darien that managed to get their mind back on things.

"So what are we facing?"

"Probably something different than what I seen when I left. Malachite and Zoicite will change things to see what kind of surprise they come out with, but its not the underlings you'll have to worry about anyway. Deliath is the Demon King of Nightmares. The only true demon in that plane. Beryl will be summoning him tomorrow, her preparations have been too tedious to start over, besides, as things are, she may not need to."

"A true demon… I can try to set up some prayers to protect us, but I'm afraid I'm just not advanced enough in my studies here to help against something like that…"

"Maybe your grandfather?"

Rei shook her head. "I'd have to tell him who we are for that, that would only put him in danger."

"He's already in danger Rei." Darien pointed out, "He's one of the crystal bearers. Talenite has already said they'll be going after them tomorrow."

"Oh no! Grandfather! What are we going to do?!"

"Actually we can use this as an advantage. That means they'll have to come here lookin' for him, that's when we can confront them. Here at the temple there ain't no one who will be here who is uninvolved, not to mention this is our turf, here we hold some advantage. We all know this area, its our trainin' grounds after all."

"A good idea, Chad is it? It may give you an edge, and you need every edge you can get against Deliath, or he will crush you." Talenite could feel his fists clench involuntarily.

"I'll see what I can do, maybe I can find something here locked away."

"I hope so Rei. We've come up with our positions. Have a look at them." Lita passed her a bunch of maps of the temple grounds

"Okay… Serena is… no I think she should come from behind him, over in the park. Serena no speeches, we'll need surprise and every second, you have to show them what you've learned. No time for finesse. Lita should take Serena's spot out front, they won't care what one of us they spot. Any sign of us and they'll probably know, and Lita can hide the best among the trees here. What number are we looking at here?"

"10 lizards, 4 rock men, 2 scythers, a King of Demons."

"And a partridge in a pair tree. Jeez they're really going all out aren't they?" Rei arced her eyebrow, than smiled. "Well it makes sense because so are we."

"Dimmer? Please come to pray to the flame with me." Rei's grandfather asked through his door.

"Huh? Sensei? Uh yes sir! I'll be right there!"

True to his words Dimmer was up in a flash and kneeling beside his teacher by the flame.

"Dimmer, I sense a tremendous evil entering into our world."

"Sensei?"

"I fear it may come here, looking for something, though I'm not sure what. It maybe they've finally realized who my grand daughter is and have come after her, though I doubt they would send something this powerful after her."

"Sensei… when did you find out?"

"Ha ha ha ha! Dimmer my boy, you don't really think that all your training exorcises and with the girls have gone unnoticed. I had my suspicions before than, but being able to survive what you and Chad put them through, well, things were rather simple after figuring out after that. Not to mention the craters in the back yard after your tournament. You will have to fill those in. The thees will also now have to be made presentable."

"Yeah I guess so huh?" Dimmer sweat dropped So why did you want to talk to me Sensei, they've become so strong I can no longer even fight beside them. The power I once held is lost for a better life here. I'm afraid it's them you need to speak to."

"Yes, I see that the darkness has left your aura. I worry about the tint of green to it. You do not seem any closer to nature than usual, but these are not the reasons I must speak to you tonight, and I was correct in my choice of people to talk to. You see Dimmer, I do not wish for Rei to know that I know about her. It will stop her from worrying about me. Yet I may be able to help her against this threat. What do they seek at this temple Dimmer?"

"They seek you Sensei. There is a crystal deep inside you from the legends of the moon kingdom. If they gather all of them the can release a monster the likes which ain't been seen since the fall of the moon kingdoms long ago."

"And I have been chosen as this crystal's bearer? I see… When are they coming?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Very well." He thought for a moment. "Dimmer go to the altar, and take there what I have offered to be blessed."

"Yes Sensei." Dimmer stood and walked over to the altar. There lined across its wooden planks, lie seven skinny narrow papers with very powerful signs and runes written on them. "Sensei? What are these?"

"They we'll help to protect my daughter and her friends. Dimmer I ask that you not tell Rei where you got these."

"You have my word, but I'm not very good at lying, let alone to your daughter. She'll probably see right through that…"

The old man sighed. "Then there is nothing to be done about it…It doesn't matter, take them to Rei. She will know what to do with them."

"Yes Sensei, I'll do it now. They're planning to defend against the demon on the temple grounds right now."

"Than go, and Dimmer, though you do not fight, there is a power still in you. I have a horrible feeling about tomorrow night. Something bad may happen, and another type of evil may awake. Tell my child that I will be praying to the flame tonight, for there are answers I seek. There are more dangerous things out there even than Demons Dimmer. I feel one of these things will awaken tomorrow. Look after Rei for me tomorrow won't you?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Now go give Rei those wards, and go to bed. Also tell her that her friends may stay the night, and to go to bed soon. They will need their rest."

"What will I tell her?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something!" The old man cackled.

"Sure." Dimmer shook his head smiling as he walked away. There's no doubt about it. The old guy had to be the smartest person he'd ever meet.

He walked up and knocked on Rei's door. 

"Yes? Oh Dimmer it's you, come on in, I thought you were going to bed."

"I still am, but I found these in your grandfather's room. I know it was snooping and all, but in this case I think the ends may justify the means."

"Really?"

"No."

"I didn't think so, you've never believed in that, even as Sundown."

"True, but I swore not to tell ya where it came from. You're allowed to have your friends over tonight too. G'night."

"Goodnight Dimmer."

It wasn't until after he left that Rei looked down at what he'd given her. Wards! Some of the most powerful a priest could perform! It was obvious they were from her grandfather, but how did Dimmer get them? It was obvious he didn't do anything wrong, Dimmer had gone back to being read like a book, that's why she figured out what he said was a pathetic attempt at a lie. Yet that didn't tell her how he got a hold of these. He swore not to tell? With Dimmer that could be anybody... Wait! I'm allowed to have people over? How could he know that unless he was talking with grandfather! Than he knows!

"Oh yeah Rei?"

"Huh? What is it Dimmer?"

"Your grandfather said it was his turn to use the flame tonight." Dimmer yawned.

"Grandfather?" But he hardly ever used its power anymore.

"Yeah, goodnight. I'm gonna try to think of where I got all that stuff."

"What stuff?"

"Huh? Oh. Amy will fill yas in." He looked in the room. "Goodnight girls and guys. Hey Chad, wanna let Tale and Darien use your room tonight? I'm gonna sleep, and if any body wakes me I'll kill them, and don't doubt me! I've had a strange craving for raw meat lately. Besides…" He scratched behind his head, "You don't wanna be scratching tomorrow like I am. I might be catchin' somethin'."

"Deal Dimmer, we'll stick with my room, go get some rest, goodnight."

At that Dimmer left them to finish up their planning to sleep for the rest of the night. As he went to bed he heard the weather for the next night. It was going to be partly cloudy with a full moon. The sky would clear off of any clouds for the rest of the nights the moon was full. "Hmph, star gazers dream night. Hope they don't go to the park beside the temple tomorrow though. I don't think they'll appreciate the sights they'd see."

The next day went by quickly and quietly. Dimmer held true to his promise of teaching them some manners during the training, but everyone was solemnly quiet while they waited for the night to come. Everyone except Dimmer and Talenite took a nap in the early afternoon to recover from the training in time for that night.

Right now Dimmer and Talenite were talking as the strolled through the park.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Dimmer, why did you give up on your powers?"

"They were too dangerous. Fate itself was against me using them, not to mention Rei."

"Fate? As in the council?"

"You've heard of them?"

"Yes. I am from another dimension myself Dimmer. I did not belong to the Negaverse. They merely recruited me after they found out about my powers during the moon wars."

"So how did you hear of Fate?"

"It warned me about messing with the scouts. Alas I haven't had a choice in the matter truthfully. I was hoping to do away with them to begin with, than maybe Fate would send me back to my dimension as a punishment, but it was not meant to be I guess."

"Yeah, well if fate's against it, it probably wasn't. I know you don't belong here anymore than I do. Where are you from?"

"A world of magic and elves Dimmer. A world where the god of Night is worshipped for stopping Fate's control over us."

"What? You mean a world without Fate? Why would you want that? Fate usually works it out in everyone's favor."

"Yes well, there are some that believe that isn't such a good thing. We preferred to make our own destiny, than fate showed up with its mysterious power of making things turn out for the better of everyone, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few. It is those "few" that didn't enjoy what Fate had done. They wanted to live their lives free of its rule. The freedom of choice. 

"It is said that Nightfall came from the heavens and destroyed Fate's destiny designed for our world, than used his great powers of darkness to hide us from it's sight. The legend held true for a very long time, but even the great Nightfall's power does not last forever, and Fate came back. My people fought against it, me along with them. He seemed to feel the need to "save" me though. It sent me here, to a world it already ruled. Probably to get me used to of the idea of everything being destined. I have to admit, it was working. That is until I met you."

"Me?"

"Well not you in particular. Sundown. He asked to used the powers of darkness for good. That is what Nightfall had done for us, that is what we did for each other. You reminded me of my people, and for that Dimmer I can never thank you enough. I will never forgive Fate for this."

"Than is Fate evil to you? Because it's Fate that's going to save this world, and what were trying to do is change it back from where I entered into it."

"I will not betray you Dimmer, my race lives until killed. I will deny Fate its power over me on my own time, not on yours."

"Thank you Tale. It seems I named you appropriately You weave a good story."

"Well I've had lots of time to learn."

"Tale, could've you summoned Deliath?"

"No Dimmer, I cannot defeat him. You must defeat all others before you go against him, and his bride… his second hand, stopped me, I couldn't defeat her. She uses a most deadly power against her enemies. He himself would've made sure there was nothing left of me. One way of living as long as I have, is to know your limits, and how to avoid them."

"Do we have a chance?"

"No, but Fate is with you, that's something I never had. Remember Fate's warriors are even stronger. Especially one called Knight's Valor."

"What? He's just a kid!"

"Than you've seen him? Well, it doesn't matter. It isn't age that gives one power. Make no mistake, Valor would make quick work even of Deliath, for he has killed Deliath before in several other dimensions and realities. There was only one that could ever match his power, that was what we call Nightfall and he has passed out of time and knowledge long ago. That is how we know Valor must have beaten him."

"Huh?"

"Valor holds the power of time. To pass out of time, is to die on his blade in our world. Though he's only ever killed a few there. The ones he killed were as evil as your dagger is black. They were killed, and that is all we remember of them, though that matters little as well, for with the power of time, comes the power to wipe memories away, for the past is all that memories are. The past is part of time's jurisdiction, and no one knows that better than Valor, except maybe the guardian of time herself…."

"He's on our side."

"I know, as I said, I will not betray you, even to get at him. There would be nothing I could do against him anyway. He is the one with the "Wings of Valor" The wings that span the brink of time and space!"

"What is he? God?"

"On some worlds, yes. That is exactly what he is. The son of Father Time, Father time, he who created all things. He who created the "Wings of Valor". It is said Valor is being trained to succeed the guardian of time, and after that, the Father himself.

"Woah. Glad to see some part of me is going up in the state of things."

"Some part of you?"

"Uh huh. His real name is Arkand. My name is Arkand, see any coincidences? He's what I was at nine years old."

"Impossible. Fate and he found my world millennia ago, they both must be older than that."

"Of course he is, he's as old as me. As for millennia ago? His power is time right? Why wouldn't he just go back a few millennia?"

"What you say is true. This is definitely an unforeseen circumstance."

"Yeah but since Valor is on our side, things'll turn out alright, eh?"

"We'll find the answer to that tonight, my friend. Tonight when the moon is full and shining down, when it sees whose blood is gathering in puddles on the ground."

"There's a pleasant thought…"

"The truth, not often is."

"No wonder you got along with Sundown and me so well, you're just about as gloomy."

"The sun's light is leaving us. If Fate is not with you, this sundown will be the end of the Sailor Scouts and of our lives."

"We better be getting back now. I hope Fate is with us, I need all the help I can get. Woah! That was different!"

"Excuse me?"

"The street lamp back there turned on."

"They tend to do that when night comes in, it startled me as well the first time I saw it. They are rather helpful at times."

"Yeah, but usually they turn off when I go under them… it's weird it's not often they're any help to me whatsoever." 

"Well than, maybe it is a good omen, an offering of help. The nature of light offers its assistance to you and yours."

"Do you really think so?"

"I hope not. Light is fine for those born with it, but to those not born with its essence it is unreliable at best. It only helps itself and what it needs to continue living, never those who use it. If the user seeks their own way, and it's a separate agenda from its own, it immediately abandons them. I think I prefer the powers of dark that are yours to use no matter what path you choose."

"Putting it that way, the powers of the dark definitely "do" seem more of a friend that sticks by you no matter what, but light seeks what's best for people everywhere, as long as you have good intentions, its power can defeat any odds. It's the power of light we'll be counting on tonight." A small trickle of moonlight escaped from the cloudy skies above as Dimmer unconsciously scratched at the arm it shone upon. "Let's just hope the moonlight out shines the darkness around it tonight."

"The moonlight depends on the sun for it's light, so even in the night the sun has power through it and the stars. Do not worry light will make itself known on the battlefield tonight for the betterment of everyone under Fate's rule. That means little for you and me though."

"Huh?"

"Neither of us are from this realm where Fate rules the decisions of all. It is impossible for him to plan our futures, unless we, like the scouts and others from this world, have nothing but the best intentions. If we enter into the fight, it is very likely we will die unless our dark powers are up to our opponent, which mine, I know, are not. And you've given up on yours."

"But Rei has broken Fate too!"

"Maybe, but her intentions and reasons for this fight have not changed. She will be fine."

"I hope so."

"So do I Dimmer. I would hate to have to watch your life go to ruin here as mine has."

"No. You know what? Things WILL be alright. In the end, light will always have things made for the better."

"Though not always for its user."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"Just that. Remember Dimmer, light looks out for itself not the ones using it. It will sacrifice anything it needs to become what it needs to be stronger and win out in the end. I've seen cases where that sacrifices the user for its own purposes."

"You think that will happen here?!"

"I see no other way unless Valor enters the fight. I do not think he's coming though. He is the protector of the unknowing, protector of the heroes that need help every now and than. Heroes protect the ignorant masses of people, who usually do not know of their existence. He protects the heroes without their knowledge of his existence in the same way."

"So there may be something bigger that he's fighting right now?"

"Or doing something bigger, Fate has been set off course here. Fate has also many enemies. It's working night and day to fix things, and it needs Valor's presence to act as a guardian while it weaves it's tale of this universe."

"So we may be on our own…"

"We very well maybe. You asked me earlier what drew me to you. I said Sundown's words, but that was not everything. Sundown wears a belt with a golden buckle. On that buckle there is a sign of two crossed black thunderbolts shaped like an "X". They are the symbol of our god Nightfall. I believe he maybe the successor that we pray for."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"I have noticed you are wearing a belt, it's just like his."

"Huh?" Dimmer looked down at his waist. He had taken the cool looking belt from his backpack of familiar things and put it on that morning. Sure enough, it was decorated with a golden buckle with the crossed, black thunderbolts Talenite spoke of… "But I have no idea where this came from…"

"Nor I. But you wear the symbol. I was not a religious person on my world, or else I would be bowing to you immediately. Only the highest are allowed to wear such things. Before you ask I don't know what it means, perhaps just a sign that you are Sundown? But the dagger is the key to that transformation no doubt. You have a connection to my God, Dimmer, it is not something you or I can take lightly. That is all we know for now. Perhaps after tonight's battle we can discuss things further. Ah, finally." Talenite smiled, "I thought those steps wold never end."

"Dimmer where have you been?!" Rei called out as she skidded to a stop in front of them after going full sprint.

"Me and Tale have been going through a lot of things why?"

"You had us scared to death!" Serena called out as she ran by them 

"What for?"

"There's been an attack. Andrew's girlfriend, was taken ten minutes ago. Greg just reported it to us." Amy calmly stopped to explain things

"The police that were staking out her house?"

"Found lying unconscious, completely drained of energy. They managed to report it in right before being attacked."

"Rei get everybody calmed down, take battle positions and transform. Chad?"

"Right here Dim."

"You come with me and Tale. You'll be the halfway point between the battlefield and me. That okay?"

"Fine with me, Rei only had me playing sniper anyway, she didn't bother giving me a position."

"You have one now. Go take your position, but first, have any binoculars? I'd like to watch what's going on."

"Top shelf, by the guitar stand and my dresser."

"Thanks, get going."

"Will do. Here's that communicator you asked for a bit back. Just put it behind your ear."

"Great Timing." Dimmer said sarcastically as he slipped the earpiece on.

"Better late than never."

Dimmer watched his best friend take off out the door. "Things are really heating up here Tale. Lets get them spyglasses and get into position ourselves."

"A good idea."

The two rushed by Lita and Mina, who were sitting by the radio. "The cat was just taken Dimmer!" Lita called out as he rushed by.

"Get into position, tell Greg that Chad's got an ear piece to him now, and to see if he can patch any further communication through it."

"Okay!"

The girls gathered in a circle in an open field where the battle would probably take place.

"Where's Darien, Serena?" Mina asked looking around.

"He went home for supper, he'll be here soon."

"Good lets transform now."

Dimmer's face turned beet red, as he quickly looked away from the binoculars. "Hahhahahha…." He laughed nervously as Talenite stared at him in curiosity.

"They sure don't show THAT in the Canadian version…" He stated in a stupid voice.

Talenite just laughed.

Daybreak sat in the woods looking on through his scope. "That had to be the most rewarding part of this whole gig since I first joined up…" He almost drooled.

"Daybreak? Daybreak? Are you there?"

"Huh? Oh Yeah! I sure am Greg."

"My code name is Telepath for the rest of this operation Daybreak. They've been spotted by some civilians coming your way from the west in the air. They'll head there next."

"Gotcha, I'm giving the signal now." He took out a mirror.

"Hey! Chad's already in position, and he's giving us the signal!" Mina pointed to the woods."

"What?! That pervert was probably watching us! Oh never mind! Everyone take your positions! Make sure all the weights are out of your suits, we don't need any handicaps against these guys." Rei called out, immediately taking over.

"Right!" At that every one separated, and ran out of the clearing.

"What's happening?" Talenite looked at the field far off. His eyes were good but not quite that good to pick out the hidden scouts, just barely the clearing.

"Chad just gave them the signal… Chad? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah man."

"Has Greg got your frequency already?"

"Yeah it was him that programmed the thing for me."

"Oh, what's up?"

"They're coming in from your back, and from the air. You know that Sensei is all that's left?"

"Okay, me and Tale are getting out of sight now." Dimmer nodded to Talenite who moved under the branches of some near by trees. Dimmer followed him.

"That's the place Malachite."

Zoicite, Malachite, and numerous amounts of nightmares and two youma flew in the night sky just under the dark clouds above, using them to hide from the viewers below.

Malachite stared at the large temple below him. "Yes Zoicite. This will be where they will make their stand. They'll be in hidden in the woods down there. That clearing is the only possible landing point for an amount of this size. The perfect spot for a trap."

"What are you planning Malachite?"

"To spring it of course. It will be interesting to see just what these scouts are capable of before we kill them."

"That sounds unmistakably good to me."

"Remember Queen Beryl's words tonight Zoicite. The one named Daybreak is to be captured and brought back, failing that, Tuxedo Mask."

"She can keep the trigger happy maniac. Tuxedo Mask will know my vengeance!"

"Be careful of your anger Zoicite, the rose that pierced your cheek will pierce your heart as well if you are overcome with nothing but vengeance."

"Never! He is beneath everything I am! He could never defeat me! You will see when I bring "his" heart back held in my hand!"

"Calm yourself Zoicite. Keep a clear head, I do not wish to lose you, especially to those insects, but even insects can kill if given the opportunity to strike. Keep to the plan."

"Of course Malachite, the plan gives me my shot at vengeance, there's no reason to strike out on my own…"

"Just remember the plan."

Without word the small army landed. The exact numbers Talenite mentioned. "Hey I thought they were going to change things?" Dimmer whispered to Talenite. "They probably have. Watch for the lizards, their ability to blend serves their masters well."

"Huh? Yeah there are some, but they're not landing with the other ones, just a little further off in the trees. It looks like they're searching for something. They know we're here! They have to."

"Yes, they probably do."

"The "trap" was way to obvious, but the terrain may give us a hand. There is not one tree in the realm of nightmares. The Nightmares won't know how to deal with them, and you trained the girls to fight even with obstacles in the way."

"Yeah even with Zoicite, and Malachite there, that small army doesn't stand a chance. Where's the demon?"

"He will be their trump card. Beryl didn't know I learned about him. I was "spying" at the time I learned that she could summon him. Than I learned of this attack. Beryl wants to finish this. I figure he will be here tonight."

"I think I'll put my money with yours."

"Crap, they know we're here." Jupiter thought to herself as the nightmares began to search he woods. "Than let's get things started... Dimmer style."

"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" Jupiter jumped out of the woods and began. Before they had a chance to react, three lizards lit up like they stuck forks in a socket.

"Mars Fire Ignite!" Two more lizards got toasted.

"Mercury Bubble Blast!"

Confused and without any sight of what was around them the night mares tripped over themselves and the branches and roots around them, lashing out at any and all in the way. The scythers and Rock men killed three of the lizards for them. 

"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" Venus turned and her beam turned with her, taking out the last two of the lizards and two hammers of four rock men.

"Moon Tiara Magic!" The glowing discus ricocheted off of both hammerless rockmen to end up back on Sailor Moon's finger. She quickly put it back on. The two rockmen fell into small piles of dust.

"Heh, they've really improved. Now, all of you! Attack! Zoicite! Play your part! The scouts obviously aren't here to play games! So neither are we! If they want a war, I'll be the first to give it to them." Malachite smiled. Finally, the scouts had become worthy opponents! How he so longed for the day he could once again wreak havoc among the forces of his enemies!

Zoicite nodded and immediately took off from the battle.

"Look at that, it's Zoicite! Where's she going? The temple!!" Dimmer yelled into the binoculars.

"Not so loud! We've no idea where the lizards you seen before have gone to! You may lead them straight to us!"

"Sorry Tale. I gotta tell Daybreak!"

"Daybreak? Come in!"

"One minute, one minute…" his scope fixed on a scyther giving Venus a run for her money. He pulled the trigger. The scyther's blade went wide of its target place by a foot. Venus round housed it away, it was immediately blasted with lightning and a fireball before it even hit the dirt from the kick. It got up again, but was too hurt to be any use fighting against the scouts.

"Yes! What is it Dim?"

"Zoicite took off toward the temple! Sensei is there!"

"What?! Okay I'm there!"

"Huh? Daybreak! You got some help! Tuxedo Mask spotted her! Give him a hand in case she gets their first, it will be two against one!"

"Right on! Telepath?"

"Already on it, the Pidge and John are on their way in from staking out the temple, they'll try to get Rei's grandfather out of there."

"You know it's useful having a psychic communications officer."

"Thanks. What! No! Daybreak get out of there now! There's danger!"

"Huh? Daybreak just finished starting the Harley when he noticed many pair of yellow eyes appear around him. "Lizards!"

"So he's in there." Zoicite smiled looking down at the temple. "Open up gramps!" She laughed as she blew a hole right through the roof. The old man didn't budge from where he sat by the fire.

"Not going to run Gramps? Good that's just going to make it easier." She held out the dark crystal."

In response the old man simply looked up, smiled, and pointed behind her.

"Huh?"

CRACK

Another hole was made in the temple roof that night, and one in the far wall besides to match it as Zoicite flew into the pond not far away from it.

Tuxedo Mask smiled as he stood back up straight from throwing a punch. Only he and Dimmer, he suspected, knew his full capabilities, and it was time to let loose. "Zoicite! I've been waiting for this!"

He jumped off the roof and charged at her just missing by inches as she reacted from instinct. Again she had to dodge as three razor sharp roses, buzzed right beside her. 

She stopped for a second's breather rubbing the large red welt on her face. "He's making me look like that blonde twit!" 

"Augh! Take this you overdressed pig!" Then next barrage of roses were melted in a pink energy blast. It came into too quick to dodge.

Tuxedo Mask smiled, than rushed toward it.

He ignored the pain as his cloak ripped up in back and his sleeves became a shredded mess as he held out his arms to protect his face.

"Was that it?!" He yelled up at her as he neared the end of her chi blast and came up with a flying uppercut. His hat flew off in the wind.

"Woah… monkey boy actually did something cool…" Dimmer's jaw nearly dropped, before recognizing the move. "Heh, I taught him that." he bragged.

Talenite couldn't help but chuckle as Dimmer went back into watching the fight.

"Hey there's Pidge and John! They're going in to get Sensei. I hope they'll be alright. Where's Daybreak, the way he can drive that thing I thought for sure he'd be there by now.

"Daybreak? Where are you?"

"Busy." He grunted in reply as he ducked under a tree branch. The lizard that was about to jump on his back wasn't so fortunate and broke its own neck as it got it straight to its head.

"I never knew these lizards could run this fast!" He took out an uzzi and emptied a magazine into the one to his right. If that didn't kill it, the tree it hit after being tripped up by the bullets, certainly did. "This is nuts! 50 mph, in the woods, and in the opposite direction than I was supposed to be going! Why do they want me so fuckin' bad?!"

"Dimmer. Telepath here. The tracking beacon on Daybreak's bike is going the wrong way, he's head for the city."

"Get them to keep an eye on him! He's being chased! Tale? I think we found where those other lizards got off to."

Talenite nodded his response

"This just in! There are another troop of monsters in the city by the warehouse district at the docks! They came out of the water and are clearing the area! Dimmer! Daybreak's headed that way!"

"Daybreak! You're headed into a trap!"

"Nothing I can do Dimmer. Do you trust me?"

"What are you planning?"

"The girls can't spare the time Dimmer. People are gonna get hurt. It's a bummer, but I'll take these guys."

"You can't! You can't take on all of them!"

"He's right Daybreak. Lead them around, the police will help you corner them than they…"

"Forget Telepath, the police are only going to get in the way, I don't wanna kill any by accident. Dimmer ya gotta trust me! Trust me the way I trusted you!"

Dimmer was about to say something before sighing. "I trust you. Don't get killed buddy."

"These things are dead, don't worry about it."

"Telepath? Get the police outta his way. I don't wanna hear about any friendly fire, make sure they're around in case back up is needed alright?

"Will do Dimmer, I'm also making a plea to the Prime Minister. I'll see what other assistance we can get."

"Sounds good." Dimmer turned to Talenite, worry in his eyes. "Sacrifice?"

Talenite nodded.

"No way! The demon hasn't even arrived yet! The problem is we're being separated! We're already in three groups, I didn't even notice it until it was too late!"

"It is not your fault Dimmer, Malachite has been planning this for awhile, and has years of experience behind him. He had no idea about Beryl's demon summoning until last night. He expected to defeat you with what he had. You managed to surprise him despite all of this. You're doing well. Perhaps the girls can still hold their own."

The Youma with half a head of hair laughed as it gathered the scouts' powers in a biology beaker and shot it back at them. Venus just barely managed to dodge away after bringing sown the almost dead scyther. Behind her Jupiter ran forward. The powers hit the ground in front of her from where Venus just dodged from. The resulting explosion showered her body with small sharp, and jagged rocks. Lita didn't even take the time to notice as she slammed her fist into its stomach right through the glass beaker, she brought her knee up hard to the youma's chin. It flew up into the air. It twisted to try to find its prey only to find that it was the prey. Mars was already in the sky ahead of it.

"Mars Fire Ignite!"

The creature screamed in pain and landed in a newly made bubble mist below. 

"Moon Healing Activation!"

It was the mist that covered the escape of Venus with Andrew's girlfriend unconscious body in tow. Venus quickly re-entered the battle as soon as she managed to get her to a far enough away spot.

"Now, THAT was a combo!"

"Yes. That was quite a show Dimmer. What was that explosion over by the temple?"

"She's at it again. Huh? Oh shit, Tuxedo's getting cocky! He knocked her into the temple! Telepath! Get Pidge and John out of there!"

"Too late! They just made contact with the enemy!"

"Shoot! Jeez shoot!" John yelled as he punched his partner who stood there stunned. It was all he needed. The two detectives stood there and shot at the blonde woman in uniform. Their shells bounced harmlessly off of her forcefield.

"These damn pea shooters aren't doing a thing! We need bigger guns!" Pidge yelled before Zoicite noticed their presence. She stared coldly at the two as she got up to her feet. "You're mine." It was all she said. Pidge was blasted. 

"Pidge!" John through away his useless gun, and ran to his partner's side.

His partner looked up at him in a pained expression. "Fool. Now we're both dead. Run!" He said in the loudest voice he could muster. John's image faded from Pidge's sight. Pidge would never take another step.

John picked back up his gun and shot at her. 

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!!"

"Ooo. I felt that" she laughed as she walked toward him, his bullets bouncing away. "Show me your anger, show me your hatred. Your partner lies dead on the ground, and you can do nothing."

She was clobbered from behind. She slammed into the wall and slid down to the floor, looking up to see the black clad figure she knew would be there, but he wasn't. He didn't have enough time to get here that quick. "Than who?"

"You foul disease. You have spilled innocent blood on these holy grounds." The little old man took a stance. His eyes glared dangerously. He still didn't know what to expect form her, but he had been watching the fight between her and the man clad in a tuxedo. He was hoping the inexperienced young man would be able to solve this, but she had committed an unforgivable sin, right before his very eyes. He could no longer ignore this, it didn't matter if she did take his life.

"So you're not so old after all Gramps. Fine, punish me. Let's see if you get any more lucky strikes in. She blasted at him, but he expected that. He flipped over the beam easily, coming down on her from above, only to be shot with another blast. He quickly jumped back to his feet. "I underestimated her speed. I will not make the same mistake twice."

Next thing Zoicite knew she was staring at six of the old men circling her. "What the…!?"

An uppercut from behind, a punch to her stomach, than a kick to her side followed by a spin kick to her head. For a split second the other versions of the old man disappeared. They started circling her again in less than a moment. It was all she needed.

"Ha!" A swipe of her hand and the old man fell backwards as a bolt of solid energy stuck out of his shoulder like a dagger.

"Not bad old man. Here let me help your strength a little." She held out the dark crystal and yellow energy rings wound their way around him. The old priest screamed.

"Stupid!" He berated himself, "stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Tuxedo Mask jumped toward the temple where the scream came from. He knocked her away, and hadn't even noticed where he had punched her. It seemed even he hadn't known his own strength, as he knocked her through about twenty trees, when he expected her to stop at the third one. "If only I had of fought like the others in that tournament! Dimmer was trying to show us our power! I didn't see, and now Rei's grandfather may pay the price. Never again! No mistakes."

It was a lesson he learned too late as he saw the black clothed, red faced lion charge out of the wall. What he wasn't expecting was Zoicite to be jumping backwards away from it.

"Zoicite! So you can't control what you've created? What did you expect, that priest had many years to learn his ways."

"It's true I underestimated him, but that mistake is yours to deal with. Ta ta!" She faded into the shadows around her."

"Dammit!" He turned to face the enraged lion youma.

"Shit! They got Sensei!" Dimmer yelled out loud. "If only there was something I could do!"

"Not without Sundown. You will be defeated, just like the old priest was."

"But that means Zoicite's coming back to the battle against the scouts..."

"Zoicite? What happened?!"

"This is nothing Malachite. Mission accomplished. The Youma is berserk though, I left Tuxedo Mask to deal with it."

You're injured, the scouts are too good for you to go against with anything but full power. Proceed back to base. Inform Queen Beryl, that it will soon be time."

"No! I can deal with these brats!"

"It was you who asked my advice, I give it to you! Take my orders Zoicite I do not wish to witness your death because of pride. You will be there to see them die, that I promise you."

"Very well Malachite. I will relay your report to Queen Beryl. I'll be back scouts!"

"Good riddance!" Mina yelped as a hammer came toward her. She flipped up onto the hammer and ran up it to deliver a chop to the back of the rockman's head. The scouts regrouped behind her only to be scattered by the Cat Youma and scyther.

The Youma grabbed hold of Mercury and its eyes gleamed evilly as it bear hugged the smallest of the scouts. Electricity raced along its whiskers. Mercury screamed.

The scouts had no time to look on in horror as electricity coursed through every part of Mercury's body. 

"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" The hammer protecting one of the two remaining rockmen blew apart. It was Quickly followed by the rockman him self as Mars Gave it a full punch to its stomach, putting a hole right through it. 

She didn't stop there. 

She rained down blows on it until it was rubble. Sailor Moon and Venus kept dodging all of the scyther's attacks, distracting it from its ally's perils. The same held true for Jupiter. She put both arms up. The weight of the hammer fell down upon her from the last of the rockmen. It came at her with the strength of the boulder that Dimmer through at them. It was to its surprise that it's hammer stopped completely. It came as another surprise as she ducked underneath it to deliver a double open fisted attack to its leg, than seeing its leg get knocked into the trees behind it. 

Being the first to be finished with hers, Jupiter turned around to see Mercury's trouble. Mercury wasn't able to predict what that youma did. She never seen it fight before and it came directly after her. She was caught in its torturous arms having the her breath crushed from her only to be slammed up and down her spine with high voltage.

Jupiter growled. She rushed the thing in a rage. She failed to predict its catlike reflexes. It quickly dropped Mercury and caught her. It kicked Mercury away only to perform the same maneuver on Jupiter. It was Jupiter's turn to scream. 

Than there was a flash of camera light from behind her. The picture would make front page news on the mornings paper.

She had no idea where it came from, but it didn't matter. It blinded the monster, its eyes were obviously not meant for the light. 

"This'll teach you just who the master of electricity is around here! Jupiter Thunder Crash!" She blasted both herself and it. They both fell to one knee after the attack.

"Now." Jupiter whispered. 

Sailor Moon had hopped out of the battle with the scyther as Mercury used bubbles to blind it. She now bathed the youma with healing light. Venus quickly got the injured cat out of the way.

The scyther was alone, and now, it deemed itself the champion. It was going to fight like one. It went all out against the scouts. Before it was only doing what it was told because it was being summoned, but with the death and fighting all around, it was in its glory, and planned to show it.

"I can't hold it!" Mercury called out, "I know the moves it makes, but it makes them to quick! I'm going to blind him! Mercury Bubbles Splash!"

"What's she still doing in there?! She was seriously injured against that youma! Start using sense girl!" Dimmer was really getting into things now. He had thrown the binoculars against the ground several times over. There were several breaks in the glass and wouldn't have held together if they weren't military grade.

"Good Venus is getting her and Jupiter to help guard the girl."

"What girl?" Talenite could not say he, also, wasn't getting interested by Dimmer's broadcast.

"The one saved from being a youma, Andrew's girlfriend? You know that one."

"Oh, I see." He looked up. The clouds were finally starting to break. The fullness of the moon would be able to be seen soon. He turned back to Dimmer who was scratching in frustration as he looked through the binoculars.

"Sailor Moon! Cover me!" Mars yelled as she charged at the scyther.

"Cover you? How?!" The pigtailed on cried out as she rushed in right behind her to see what she was doing. 

"Huh? Sailor Mars! What are you doing!" She wasn't putting up any defenses against the nightmare! She would be cut to ribbons just like Dimmer was that night! Before she knew it she was defending the blows for her. She bounced around blocking every strike she seen the creature attempt to make. Her friend's life was at stake, and she was counting on her.

Mars continued with her assault on the scyther, disregarding Sailor Moon as she defended every strike for her. One back, one front, one more back kick to its head, a follow through left elbow, followed by a back fisted uppercut, "Mars Fire Ignite!" Sailor Mars yelled point blank at the creature as she finished a huge chain of combinations. She looked to Sailor Moon and gave her a thumbs up and a smile. Sailor Moon looked back up. The speed she just had to move at was sickening, literally. She was heaving trying to get her breath under control before it made her throw up. She was down on her arms and knees. Her eyes felt watery, as her stomach heaved, and she could no longer hold it down.

Mars watched as her friend heaved up on the ground. She wanted to comfort her. She had no idea how fast that thing must've been moving. Before she could though, a movement behind her caught her eye. She grabbed Sailor Moon and dodged for all she was worth. Malachite missed her with his beam by a good foot.

"Very good girl, I underestimated your speed. Be glad for your luck it will not happen again."

Sailor Moon now had her breathing under control and stood up beside Sailor Mars. Venus jumped in beside them, Jupiter and Mercury weren't far behind them.

"Ha! Go ahead Sailor scouts hit me with all of your powers at once! You will beg for my mercy after this!"

It was his surprise when they all jumped him instead of shooting him. Mars knocked him to Mercury who performed an eight kick combo to send him flying toward Jupiter. She sent him ten feet into the air. Some blood trickled from his mouth from that blow. Sailor Moon drill kicked him into the ground by his head. Venus sent a crescent beam at his head which he quickly absorbed, only to find out it was a distraction as she flipped over his head, grabbing him by the hair, and twisted around. He felt a horrible jolt in his neck as he was flipped over her head into a tree. They snapped his neck! He may have been dead for a second before slamming him into the tree and getting it knocked back into place. The scouts would never be able to tell. It may have just looked like his head was at an unnatural angle. Either way when Sailor Moon went to check for a pulse he released Venus crescent blast he absorbed earlier, or at least he tried to.

An unconscious black lion with a red face was thrown into him, knocking him through a lot of trees. There, at the edge of the clearing, limped an injured Tuxedo Mask. He had long ago lost his mask, and what was left of his shirt was filled with claw marks and blood stains. He held on to the shoulder of the arm he obviously through the youma with. 

"How's that taste?" he spat, and fell to one knee.

"… I'm not sure what to believe … Tuxedo Mask doing something cool, or the fact that he didn't spout of some crap that could outdo some of "my" jokes when it comes to corniness…"

"How can you tell? It's not as if we can hear him."

"True, but his mouth wasn't moving a mile a minute either. Yap yap yap yap yap, that's usually all you ever hear from the guy, than he throws another rose or two and leaves. I think the guy's views have changed a little."

"War tends to do that…"

"How?" Malachite muttered in pain as he used what was left of his strength to push the body off of him.

"Dimmer told us that you are able to use our powers against us. So we just didn't use them." Sailor Mars stated simply.

"How… how did he know?"

"That's for us to know. Malachite! Your days of tormenting the innocent and causing wars are finished!" Sailor Moon walked over to him, ready to finish this business. Too many friends were hurt by this guy and people like him. He tested them for weeks just to do this to them. He lost.

"I know… Talenite… The traitor told him… Talenite!" He yelled out so even Dimmer and Talenite could hear, "Your betrayal is obvious! We will never stop hunting you!"

"I am with you forever now Dimmer. There is no going back."

"You had nothing to go back to anyway. At least you will be treated like a person here."

"Thank you."

"I'll see you again scouts…" Malachite wiped some of the blood from his lip as he teleported away.

"We won girls now…Moon Healing Activation!" Sailor Moon healed the old priest.

"Where's the demon?" Mars asked suspiciously.

"Talenite said their plans might change…"

"They've done it! They won! Let's get down there Talenite!"

"No Dimmer! Too late…" He stared suspiciously at the sky and watched a sickeningly black glow come from behind them. "Damn!" 

He bit his lip as he watched the cheerful young man run to the clearing. It would only take a few minutes for him to get there. If they do not receive any help, he may be there in time to comfort them as they die. 

"Just when I like the kid. Damn you Fate. You better follow through with your end of the bargain to that boy, or I will, yet, find some way to destroy you."

The clouds above the girls parted and the demon came forth. The girls all jumped back for the beast like man. Black horns curved in front of its head, and a razor toothed grin made it look more the monster the knew it to be. It's skin was red and muscled, with black spikes trailing down its back to the tip of its dragon like tail. It now stood on the ground before hem and towered over them a good twenty feet high. Its wingspan was tremendous. Its powers were immense, anybody could feel his arrival any where within a mile of the place. Everyone who slept in Tokyo that night reported nightmares of their worst fears haunting them.

It laughed a deadly growling laugh. In a deep, dark, guttural voice it spoke.

"Know the name of the cause of your destruction. I am Deliath! Welcome to the end of your life. Heaven will welcome you ones of the light. Be glad you will not be here see the rest of your world got to hell…"

Dimmer heard the monstrous voice. He felt his dagger glowing at his side. The scouts were all hurt! They couldn't take this thing in the best of situations! Sensei's wards were their only chance. They would have to understand! He took out the dagger from its sheath. He tried the lines. Nothing. What was he going to do? He would never be Sundown again, would light help him as Talenite figured it might?

Mars acted, she whipped all seven wards at it. Magical energy flowed through the air. 

"Now!" She called over the crackling, conflicting powers. Before they could do as told though, the demon let out a final grunt of pain. Its powers were sealed. It shrunk down to seven feet, but still towered over all of the scouts. All of the scouts attacked in unison. It laughed, and as quick and jagged as black lightning it moved through them.

Mars attacked with a horrible kick that would probably broke even Sundown in half. The demon caught her foot in its palm, and punished her impudence, by slamming its fist into her face until she made a large imprint in the hard ground. Still having a hold of her leg, it twisted with a heartfelt, monstrous laugh as he heard her muffled screamed and the loud snap in her legs. Sailor Mars was no longer in the battle. It had taken less than a second. Sailor Moon came at it in a rage, once a gain bringing all of her speed to bare, hoping to help her friend. What she hit was its afterimage. It was too fast to see. It backhanded her face into the tree behind it, a smug smile on its face.

"Mercury Bubble Splash!"

Mercury looked up hoping to surprise the demon only to see it wasn't where she last looked. She looked around quickly in the fog hoping beyond hope it wasn't too late.

Outside of the fog Jupiter's heart wrenched, and Venus trembled as the almost inhuman, pain-filled screech split the air around them in voice they recognized as Amy's.

The fog cleared and the dark silhouette strutted toward them. A gleeful look on its face. Neither could move. They just seen their best friends possibly die all around them in less than a minute. Amy's screams still echoed in the woods around them. 

Once again he was found running for all he was worth. He tripped over twelve times in the last minute. It felt like he'd never get there. His whole body itched, not a single place he could focus on. The itching was starting to turn into thousands of pains. His bones creaked and ripped as he ran. He didn't care if he had to run so fast his body would tear up, he WOULD get there in time.

The clouds were completely dispersed by the demons arrival, a full moon shone down on the clearing. Both of the scouts left standing stood together shaking. It laughed as it walked toward them. 

To everyone's surprise several roses entered its arm. It cried out in pain. The Flowers inflicted more damage to it than any other attack so far. Venus struck first with new energy. This thing could be hurt! That meant it could be beaten! Maybe not by physical attacks, but the wards must've made vulnerable to their magic somehow!

"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!"

Jupiter was right behind her.

"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" To protect their friends! To protect the world! They had to defeat this thing!

It cried out in pain as the attacks hit their mark while it was focusing its attention on Tuxedo Mask.

Suddenly out of nowhere a glowing discus sliced through its stomach and out the other side! Than a Fireball! Sailor Moon! Sailor Mars! They were alive!

"I.. I won't let you hurt my friends." Sailor Moon whispered in a way that everybody heard. Even Dimmer who was just arriving at the clearing.

"Everybody! Now!"

Each scout lit into the demon with all of their attacks in unison. Dozens of red blurs came from Tuxedo Mask. It screamed in agony. Than broke away. It was little more than a blur itself as it bulldogged into Tuxedo Mask. The scouts still poured their powers into it, and it started beating the young man caught in its grasp. The scouts had to stop in fear of hurting their friend. Deliath slowly rose with Tuxedo Mask's feet in hand. He than proceeded to beat him like a rug into a nearby tree. It was insane! Blood splattered on the tree in a horrible splat and Tuxedo Mask slumped to the ground. It than charged the scouts.

Dimmer kneeled down scratching feverishly at his entire body. He couldn't stand it! Everything had gone nuts! He felt a warm liquid splat against him as he heard Venus scream. Blood flooded his senses. He could smell it everywhere. The blood of his enemies, the blood of his friends. His bones squeezed together, they knitted themselves together in a different shape. All he felt was anger as the full moon's light rained down on him fully, now that he was no longer hidden by the shadows of the trees. Anger… and an emotion he didn't know a name for. So he expressed it in the only way he knew how… 

An inhuman howl that had everyone there stop and shudder as a large amount of chills ran up and down their spines… It echoed off into the city.

The people that had nightmares in Tokyo that night had one similarity. They all dreamt of a white wolf.

It was a white streaked blur that attacked Deliath. Deliath took the attack head on. Whatever creature, it was no match for a true demon. Strangely, the first real look Deliath got of the creature was seeing it with Deliath's own arm in its mouth. 

There was no mistaking the creature. It was an age old, only known in folklore and myths. The only known cause came out f the same tales it was known from. The cause? The bite of another on like it. The disease from this bite would turn you into a creature that was beyond every humanoid's nightmare. Man long ago forgot what its natural enemy was in nature, but the fear of lyncanthropy has lingered on in their most primal of instincts. The tales tell of many kinds of lyncanthropes, including, weretigers, werepanthers, werecats, wererats, but none held more fear than the one that was the most famous of all of these. The werewolf. A lyncanthrope stood in front of him now. It was either an albino wolf, or an arctic one, the large amount of fur left little doubt that it was the latter, though the red eyes could say the first. Deliath stopped this line of thinking as he watched as it swallowed and crunched down the last of his own hand. He looked down stupidly at his right arm, or at least the stub of it. He looked back at the wolf to see it for his last time, as this time it took his throat.

The scouts stood stunned. Before their very eyes Dimmer turned into a werewolf. The true effects were lost on all of them. That meant he could be normal again after the full moon right? And only a silver bullet could kill him. Right?

The feral red eyes of the Garou, their native name, may tell differently…

Sailor Moon Says: "Hello again!" Serena's cheerful voice came on. "So now things are just getting weird! Dimmer is a werewolf! And what happened to Daybreak?! All coming up next time on Sailor moon! A Change of Fate!"

"It was a real tough battle today, and all of us have more than our fair share of bruises and injuries… All of our work paid off as we fought against the Negaverse without holding anything back. After you find a goal you want to attain, we know we have to hang on to it with all we got, and never let it go! When you decide on something you believe needs to be done, don't hold back, and whether you win or lose, you won't regret it, because you'll always be able to remember, I gave it my best."

Reality Check:

"What the shit? They turned Dimmer into a freaking werewolf? On Sailor Moon?  That don't seem right at all…" Mitchell turned the TV off, and sat back to think. Dimmer had caused him a lot of trouble lately, and he didn't particularly like jail all that much. The press was still going near crazy out his door, and he hardly got a moment's peace any more. He sighed, and got an ominous feeling right before his phone rang. Who would be calling? Katie and Mike would still be at the college, his parents at work, and his sister at school. He had skipped on the account off the press, and his class mates weren't much better…

He walked over to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Good day, is there a Mr. Mitchell there?"

"If this is any kind of reporter!"

"No Mitchell this isn't. My name is Jamie…"

Endnotes:  Here we update again. Once again thanking everyone who reviewed for the last chapter.

Like Cats: I'm glad you liked the song =D, cause my fic tends to focus around songs a lot… Fair warning to all… they are not all love songs…

Himitsu-no-hi: =D I'll try my best to keep up with your standards of story greatness, that way that bargain don't go down any… and I'm glad you like the reality bits. I'm still a little iffy on them myself, I haven't yet found away to connect them to the main story plot, any ideas would be helpful!

I'm gonna keep at it, and hope that I don't let anybody down. Anybody caught by surprise by the werewolf thing? Worried it might effect the show in a little too weird of way? 

Well make sure!

Review, tell me what you think, and I can send ya some future chapters to put your worries at rest. 

And for actually making it this far, here is a useless fact that I have learned recently. Did you know that the same voice artist who did champ bear on care bears does Sailor Venus' voice? lol  
See ya later sports fans! ;)


	27. Daybreaks Day in the Sun

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

Also

Hey!! The Author here with something other then the usual disclaimer!!

I'm not sure 'bout my readers, but I tend to think that music can really help the effect of readin', especially in SONGfics like the one coming up in just a second. 

The song ( that I do not own, by the way,) is Rob Zombie's "Scum of the Earth

Oh sure, it's a little off for a Sailor Moon fic, but work with me here. ^-^

If you can, I would suggest listening to it, (downloading it, and deleting it right after wouldn't hurt for those who really don't like the song….)

It is NOT needed to enjoy this fic! But it may enhance your readin' pleasure… XD

And there's more!!

The violent scenes continue in this installment, and they may be a tincy wincy bit more violent then my earlier chapters.

(readers discretion is advised) XD

I would appreciate anybody's opinion if this fic should go into the restricted rating too, I can't seem to come to a decision on my own… =3

And now, the long awaited next installment of A Change in Fate

Ken ran as the police vehicles screeched around every corner. They were telling people to avoid the park that night, so naturally it was the first place he headed. That, after all, was a photo journalists job after all right?

"Sure I'm only sixteen, but what better age to start?" He doubted the famous Sailor Scouts or their enemies even knew he was there. He took some incredible pictures, he was hoping they came out all right. He sprinted out of the woods as fast as he could. Police were telling everybody to get off the street now. Did that mean that the scouts were taking the fight to the streets? Cool, that meant more shots! He came to a sudden stop. It sounded for a minute there like there was a low growling coming out of the woods. He turned his head slowly. The growling was getting louder, and soon turned into a deafening roar. Recognizing the sound, his eyes widened and he dived for cover and not a second too soon.

The harley charged out of the woods at full speed. "Shit! When did this all go to hell?! What kind of help am I being to the scouts this way?!"

Daybreak wheelied out of the woods using the small outcropping as a ramp, and hopping over the guy that was in the way.

"Glad he ducked…" He looked back at the woods. It didn't take long to see a crap load of lizards jumping out of the trees and over the roots not too far behind. They all ignored the young boy there. "Wait a minute… Wasn't that my contact at the Tokyo Journal? What the hell?!" 

He ducked an incoming lizard that somehow got in front of him.

"Bummer, I really gotta keep my mind on the road…" He looked ahead at the next turn, about twenty more lizards suddenly unblended out of the alley and the streets. Daybreak skidded to almost a full stop, before taking off around the other corner. 

"Greg and Dim were right, they're herding me! Just what in the hell are they up to?!" He pulled out a shotgun, and five of them hit the ground after a sudden impact of shrapnel against their bodies when going 70 mph.

"I can't believe it! They're gaining on me here!" He yelled while trying to sideswipe some back behind him. Unfortunately it let the ones behind him get a chance to jump on the back of his bike. Two managed to keep their grip and started to climb up the sides. He gritted his teeth as he felt claws leave bloody evidence that they had managed to reach his legs despite the dangerous speed in town.

"The docks are just up ahead! I'm gonna be completely blocked in!"

The one on the left clawed it's way up in front of him and tried to take a bite out of his face. For all it's effort, it received a shotgun barrel to the soft part of it's throat.

"Buh bye." Daybreak smiled, and waved with one hand, before the thing jumped in the air about ten feet involuntarily.

"Your turn!" He turned around to the one on the right and blew it away too. In it's final efforts it raked its claws along the engine and back tire. The bike's brake cord made an audible snap.

"Shit…" He tried to turn and got caught under his bike instead. It slid into one of the doors of the warehouses. He woke up to the stench of fish surrounding him. He was sure he couldn't have been out for more than five minutes. He crashed right into one of the many crates of fish in the docks warehouse. It created a domino effect all around him, it seemed. The large scent of fish seemed disrupt most of the lizards, and they were kicking over each crate, obviously trying to find him. The small scent of gas among all the fish finally managed to reach his nose. The bike was leaking. He shook his head, there would be no time to jury rig it, it hardly mattered anyway. These damned things managed to catch him, even when he was on it in full working condition. There was no way out of it. He got up quietly. He took everything off his bike he could carry. He could feel the tension in the darkness surrounding him. They were going to pay a price for taking him down. He was going to make sure of that. He listened to the loud guitar playing in his mind silently. It spoke to him, quietly, at first, and gradually getting louder. The heavy electric spoke of power, pride, and vengence.

The lizards jumped back five feet as their sixth sense told them of the danger. The crates over in the corner suddenly exploded and the man clad in a vase colored trenchcoat and yellow shades was breathing hard, his eyes looked a little differently than what they did before. Being some of the weaker on their plane they recognized the look. It was no longer the look of the prey they were chasing before. They had backed him up into a corner, they didn't realize, until now, that they might have made a mistake.

Daybreak felt himself smirk, his whole body was shaking with the sound of the heavy guitar as it suddenly reached a breaking point in his mind. In a loud growling voice he screamed out loud.

"Scum of the earth! Come on!"

He pulled out his uzzies and ran straight into the crowd of lizards that had gathered on the floor, the music in his head drowning out any common sense. He got point blank fighting range and fought with rage, fists and bullets. The first onslaught of lizards pounced and the five of them were blown back with the sawed-off shotgun hidden up his sleeve.

One in particular had an unlucky shot caught in its eye and let out a huge screech. Daybreak ignored it and slammed into the other four while they were getting back to their feet. The song in his head played on…

Up until

a distant wail

a hero that doesn't exist yet

The lizards struck back at once, getting back up before Daybreak had closed the distance and pounced. Daybreak dodged the first and second strikes at him with relative ease, on third one, he felt claws rake across his left side. The fourth one came at his face, its claws outstretched. He came up with an armor piercing round from one of his pistols. It blew a hole through the offending claw and into the thing's head. The lizard fell back from the impact as the bullet ripped through its skull.

Smoking gun

Well, I am the one

A bullet hole in your fist yeaaah

He struck like a tornado ripping through whatever lizard came too close. He wound around the claw of one, grabbed onto its arm with one hand, and shot his pistol into its armpit, taking the arm right completely off, he slammed said arm into the face of the lizard behind him. He felt more claws rake across the metal strips he put in his coat for extra armor.

I'm breathin'!

I'm bleedin'!

I'm screamin'!

Scum of the earth come on!

I'm breathin'!

I'm bleedin'!

I'm screamin'!

Scum of the earth come on

Crack!

The tail he "had" accounted for smacked him back, against some far crates in the corner. He lifted his head and wore a smile as the grenade he dropped, before the tail hit him, went off. Six bloody corpses hit the dirt.

Some of the lizards in the back were yelling guttural nonsense, they made some mad gesture that told of some kind of finality to what they were doing, and the scene changed. Red and black space floated all around him. He wasn't sure where he was, but he knew he was standing on solid ground and about 42 lizards stood before him and were starting to surround him in the mist that seemed to appear in this deranged world.

I wake up dead 

Bleeding red

A world that doesn't exist yet

He knew if he waited for them to regroup and strike he was as good as dead, but retreating was no longer a small chance of an option, even a far distant one, now that he didn't know where he was. So he did the most unexpected thing he could do. He rushed into the largest concentrated group of them and jumped, firing grenade rounds from the rifle he took off his back. 

Most of the lizards were a little confused at this too. They weren't well organized, they weren't expecting this much of a fight from an ordinary human. Their task was simply to get him here alive. That was what they were summoned for, now it had become a struggle for their own lives! They never even saw it coming. Only a few reacted to the silhouette in the mist. Those few caught an explosive round in the face for their perceptiveness. The strike from above cleaned out almost half of their numbers. 22 lizards lie twitching form mortal wounds from the shrapnel that tore through their scaly skin, ripping limbs and throats clean out. The ones not taken out quickly took shelter in any way they could. What powers did this monster have? They struck it several times now! Normal humans should be dead, but this one seemed to have an armor of its own. It rained its power from above as if it were a holy angel of death.

Heaven waits

We'll hit the gates

Rushing in the mist yeaaah

Daybreak reloaded his ammo. The lizards hadn't noticed where he had gotten off to, the burning and bloody corpses littering the ground behind him negated their advantage of scent, and the mist concealed his presence, it had gotten so thick. The smell of blood and gun smoke was thick in the air, even to him. He could only imagine what it was doing to them. He hadn't planned it, it was just a lucky advantage that he was going to use. Unlike them he would rely on his own hearing, they seemed to wait for one of their own to die, than try to find him from that. He had a perfect spot. He was leaning on something that felt like rock, and he could tell most of them seemed to be behind him. His adrenaline rush was maxed, he loved the scent of his gunsmoke, the gorey bodies, the pain from the hits, he thrived from it all. A killer instinct had entered his body somewhere during this, and he was enjoying it. He jumped out from behind the rock and fired once again. 

I'm breathin'!

I'm bleedin'!

I'm screamin'!

Scum of the earth come on

I'm breathin'!

I'm bleedin'!

I'm screamin'!

Scum of the earth 

Come on

The tempo of the song

Go 

the lyrics in his head

Go

it controlled every movement

Go

not an action was wasted.

Go

No thought just action

Go

He was completely focused for the first time in his life

Go

The trigger was pulled

Go

Explosions to the left

Go

Death wails from the right

Go

Warm liquid spilling on his hands

Go

A blot of blood running down the lens of his shades

Go

The sound of his trenchcoat being ripped

Go

A pain along his right arm

Go

He hadn't noticed the strategy or how it worked on the lizards. The explosion to the right alerted them that he was over there, but he wasn't. The piercing screams of other lizards to the left drew others that way. And despite the fact that he had already done it twice, it never crossed their minds he would come up their middle again.

Torrents of bullets, as if it was raining in sheets of them, tore through the stony ground and scaly lizard alike. The bullets were like a rainstorm, the explosions, lightning. Like the sun ripping through the night, each ray piercing the darkness, forcing it back until it was no more. The lizards were forces born of eternal night, and Daybreak was upon them.

Up until

a distant wail

a hero that doesn't exist yet

Smoking gun

I am the one

A bullet hole in your fist yeaaah

The silent song raged, destroying all sense of mercy, all sense of fear, and all sense of time. He wasn't sure if it was hours or minutes. He weaved in and out of their desperate claws. They blended in with the ground trying to get away, but an area explosive laid that idea to rest. Just as long as he knew relatively the area they were in, they died. Not even a second was wasted when needing to reload. It was like a fluent juggling act. He'd dodge, throw the ammo in the air, destroy the one that dare strike at him with another gun, catch the magazine in the air, load it in, and make a few more corpses. They never stood a chance, it was a horrible dance of death.

I'm breathin'!

I'm bleedin'!

I'm screamin'!

Scum of the earth come on

I'm breathin'!

I'm bleedin'!

I'm screamin'!

Scum of 

the earth 

Come on

The strikes at him grew less and less.

Hey

Hey

Hey

Hey 

Hey

Hey

He twisted around grabbing the closest one to him

Scum of the earth !

Hey

Hey

Hey

Hey

Hey 

Hey

Daybreak slammed his rifle into its mouth and rammed it down it throat

Scum of the earth !

Hey

Hey

Hey

Hey

Hey

Hey

He pinned it against the ground and continuously pulled the trigger.

Scum of the earth!

Hey 

Hey 

Hey 

Hey

Hey

Hey

The sixth time he pulled the trigger he realized nothing was happening. His eyes stared wide, and for the first time seen what was happening. The rifle had no ammunition in it, even when he had put it in the lizard's mouth. The lizard died from fear, the first time he pulled the trigger. It seemed even they had heart attacks.

He pulled his rifle out of its mouth a long string of saliva and blood, still attached, his arm still shaking from the adrenaline rush. He looked around, the mist was slowly dispersing, and the ground was covered in bodies. The one under his gun had been the last one. He spread his arms wide and fell flat against his back on the ground, the wounds were finally catching up with him. The last sound heard was his whisper…

Scum of the earth…

He fell face first against the ground in exhaustion. Just another body between the mounds of them covering what could be taken for ground in this strange place.

The scouts stood in shock. They had no idea what to do. On one hand their friends, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Mercury had yet to move after the demon attack. Right now Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter were the only supports that kept Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars on their feet. Especially since one of Sailor Mars' legs were bent at a horrible angle. All four scouts stood paralyzed, unable to look away as the white furred beast ate at Deliath's massive throat. The demon stood less chance against the werewolf, than they did against the demon. The creature finished off the demon's throat with a howl into the night. 

A sign of pleasure and victory, it echoed off of the huge city skyscrapers and brick walls.

It stood tall when at its full height it had to be at nine feet! Possibly ten! You could only tell when it stood to howl though, for it was usually slouching down. Its claws were huge; it's feet massive. It's feet and hands displayed large natural claws meant for getting a great grip on what it stepped on, and for helping it rip the flesh off the bone that it couldn't get off with its large sharp teeth. Dimmer's clothes were all but torn off it, leaving only a ripped pair of denim "cut-offs" (quite literally). They were only being held on by the belt Dimmer was wearing at the time before the change.

They were horrified. The only resemblance to Dimmer was the top part of its hair. It seemed that Dimmer's hair had been that way for so long, even this couldn't lose the natural parting down the middle. The real sign that told that this creature really was the friend, and teacher they all knew, were the golden colored hair clasps that bound its bangs in place. 

The white fur became blood stained as it continued feeding on its prey.

"Dimmer…" Rei whispered, gesturing Sailor Jupiter to move forward, allowing herself to get closer. The werewolf looked up suddenly and bared its teeth at the two and gave them a low growl. They stopped moving closer, and after a few moments when the creature realized they were not trying to take its meal from it, the werewolf went back to feeding.

The girls stood in silence as they watched the wolf take in the demon. It was a truly bloody sight. The white fur showed the bloodstains from its kill in bright and dark red. Blood poured from its mouth as it ate, trying to appease its huge appetite. They watched horrified as the powerful jaws split the demon's femur into two and swallowed both pieces at once.

The wolf perked its ears at the familiar strangers. He wasn't accustomed to being watched as he ate. It had been a long time since he last showed itself in this form, and only once, from any of the previous times, had anyone ever stopped to watch him feed. He knew how these humans felt about its habits. Grotesque and animalistic, but what they thought mattered little to him. After all, your prey did thought about you that about you no matter what you ate. They always seemed to imagine themselves in the position of whatever flesh was in your mouth at the time. The two that moved closer startled him. One was badly hurt and it still chose to get close to him? His instinct told him none of these girls were any threat, nor did they offer any. But being outnumbered like this was starting to make him nervous. The kill he made tonight pleased him. He would not have to hunt again for at least two days. He could feel the power his kill had strengthening him. He wondered if there were others like this he could feed off of… 

Talenite teleported in behind the girls and watched as the wolf looked straight at him. He shuttered at the gaze and trembled as he felt its power. "Be careful not to startle him girls."

The voice broke every one out of the state of horror they were in. Sailor Moon looked up to Talenite and whispered, "What can we do?"

"Your healing technique may work, but I do not think he will stand around during the light show it gives off. Such sudden lights might scare him off. He is working completely by instinct. Sailor Jupiter, bring Sailor Mars back towards me, slowly…"

Jupiter did just that. And Talenite bent to look at Sailor Mars' leg.

The werewolf stood up in a flash; it spoke its unapproval in several sharp barks.

"I see. Do not worry." Talenite spoke in unthreatening, submissive tones to the beast, "I will not hurt her. I am simply inspecting her wound."

The werewolf tipped its head sideways in a questioning glance. Curiosity won the better of him. He walked slowly on all fours over to inspect the wound and the new arrival. He felt very protective about this human; he would make sure no more harm came to her than what had obviously already happened. The new arrival never moved an inch, and the human girl tried to stand still as she leaned on another. 

The wolf came inches away from Talenite's face. There was an underlying fear there; the scent of it almost made the wolf go mad, but the instinct to protect one's own was more powerful. He than sniffed at the wound and than licked it. He felt himself over come by a wide toothy grin and panted a little, as the girl made a gasp at the touch of his tongue against her leg. He watched as a small glow emanated from Talenite's hand and the bone and wounds set back into place on their own. Once again the girl gasped and the wolf, still curious about this one, sniffed all the way up into the cloth she wore. He pressed his muzzle into her enjoying the scent. 

"Pervert!"

It was to his and Sailor Mars' surprise when she slapped him hard on the muzzle. Suddenly scared she might have killed them all, she was pleasantly surprised when all that happened was it jumping back, shaking his head in the way dogs do, when something irritates their nose, and giving a small, playful wine.

He liked this one. Feisty and it wanted to play! He pounced on the poor startled Sailor scout and panted into her face.

She nearly choked.

"Ugh… Dog breath…" she smiled at the other scouts.

Talenite stood up, glad to have won the favor of the beast. They could be quite dangerous if too much fear was in the air, or if something they hated arrived, and they should be avoided at all costs completely if they became hungry. Dimmer seemed safe for now. The girls heard quiet whimpering they recognized immediately as Sailor Mercury. They ran over to her quickly. There the blue scout lay, she still hadn't moved from the spot, where the demon had dropped her. She moved her neck slightly to look at the others. 

The wolf not used to of being forgotten and ignored went to see what the fuss was about. It seen, and it grew ferocious, it seemed to move in a blur, Talenite was sure he was about to be the creatures next snack, when he opened his eyes and only seen the face of the wolf, he knew it was the end. Dimmer obviously had strong ties to this scout, possibly as much as the ones with Mars. The rush of movement was all he felt, and when he opened his eyes again he was staring into the blue eyes of Sailor Mercury.

He looked over at the werewolf. It stared at him with unblinking eyes. He understood. The wolf was telling him to heal this one the same way he had Mars. Well, what was wrong with Sailor Mars was obvious, he had to inspect the wounds more carefully with Mercury.

When he was finished, his face was stone cold. The disarray of her clothes, the claw marks, none deep. The demon meant to keep this one for its own purposes. Mercury couldn't move, but felt no pain at his prodding. It was obvious what he was going to do with her.

"Every joint is out of place. Deliath meant to take her back with him."

The realization of just what would have happened to them had the werewolf not have shown up began to sink into their heads. Everyone would be dead, and Amy would have been repeatedly … they didn't even want to follow that line of thinking.

All of it was lost on the wolf. It whimpered when it seen Talenite not doing anything. 

Talenite began. It took an hour to heal everyone enough to walk. It would take several more to help Mercury…

"So what do we do now?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I am not sure. Taking him back would not be a good idea, but leaving him out here isn't the best thing we could do either. Our options are limited." 

They watched as the werewolf went back to Deliath's body and started to drag it away.

"There has got to be something we can do!" She begged.

"I have no idea. This thing killed that demon in seconds flat. I didn't even see it move. We cannot force it to do anything it won't want to do, and if we try we may forfeit our lives."

"Hey, I have an idea." Mercury smiled through the pain, "Look over there, where Dimmer first transformed."

"What is it Mercury?" 

"That, Mina, is an earpiece, Dimmer was probably keeping in contact with Greg the whole time! So if we let Greg and the police in on the trouble, they'll block off this entire section."

"That will not hold him for long, this is only a park after all, It will want to seek out a much larger expanse of wilderness."

"You're right Talenite, it's only a temporary idea, but it's all we have for right now. I need more information on this before I can go much further."

"Very well, as long as you know it will not last. I will give what knowledge I have to you on the subject back at the temple."

"Dimmer…" Mars looked at the wolf in question. There was obviously some semblance of Dimmer left in the beast. She watched him as he dragged off his prey into what he thought was the wilds. "W…w.. we should get back now. We have a whole lot of things to worry about."

"What?!"

"I said we have…"

"No, sorry, not you Mars. I'm talking to Greg, he said Chad just headed into the docks a bit ago with fifty lizards on his tail!"

"Huh? What?! Oh no! We have to go save him!" Mars and Venus yelled at the same time.

"I'm afraid we may be too late."

"What do you mean?" Mina asked worriedly.

"Greg also said that entire area experienced a huge light. The police squad already moved in, and there's no trace of him. Only a half dozen or so lizard bodies."

"I think it's time to prioritize." Tuxedo Mask spoke up. "The wounded need seeing to. Next a powerful creature that feeds on humans is on the loose. After that, we can see about our friend down by the docks. Than after everything else! We have to think on how to get the remaining crystals back from the Negaverse. Lets get back to the temple, its going to be a long night…"

to be continued…

Sailor Moon says: Woah! That was intense! Daybreak really gave it his all! When the odds were against him, and nothing seemed to be going his way, and despite it all he still managed to come out on top! If you want it badly enough, go for it! you'll be surprised at what you can accomplish!

Next time on 

Sailor Moon's

A Change of Fate

The Dimmer Chronicles:

What's going to happen to Chad?! 

What?! Artemis is missing?!!!

And a one on one

Tuxedo Mask vs Dimmer's werewolf form!!

Reality check

"What in the…!! Mike couldn't believe his eyes. What happened to Sailor Moon! That was actual gore!!"

He stood up and paced back in forth in front of his TV, constantly pushing his dark bangs from his eyes. He stared back at the television as the commercials preceding the next show came on.

"Dimmer…" He knew Dimmer always did like wolves, he had a small collection of ceramic ones decorating his room, along with a few pictures of them hung up on his walls. Had the Sailor Moon realm read that in him and derived this strange idea from it?

"Dimmer a werewolf?!" he shook his head as he spoke out loud, the idea was incredulous. "He couldn't even stand the sight of blood! How does that work?!"

Mike stopped and sighed. He was starting to really grow frustrated…

The creaking from upstairs told him his father was getting up.

"Micheal! Is that stupid cartoon of yours off yet?!" came the groggy holler from up the stairs.

The creaking from upstairs told him his father was getting up. So early? It was only four in the afternoon. If Mike was anime, his face would be deadpanned.

"Dad! It's not just some stupid cartoon! Dimmer's on it!"

"Don't bother me with that foolishness." His father stated it as if it was the dumbest thing to ever be thought up, as he slowly stepped down the stairs, taking one at a time. "That's just those …" he gestured with his hands as he tried to remember the right word for what he was saying. He sat down at the kitchen table still in robe and undershirt, "those… station people, trying to up their ratings."

"Yeah, sure Dad," Mike didn't need this right now, his father was probably the only person in the world that could ever make him angry. "I suppose they kidnapped Dimmer too, for this little media stunt huh?" he spouted off sarcastically.

"Now listen Micheal!" his father's voice started to raise, "Don't you take that tone with me! I'll shut you up for good."

"Yeah, sure whatever Dad." Micheal headed for the door. "I'm going out."

"Micheal! Where are you going?"

"Mitchells." Was Mike's one word response as he slammed the door avoiding another oncoming fight with his father. He really didn't need that right now. His fight's with his father, even as common as they were before, had been getting steadily worse and had been multiplying since Dimmer had first left. He was halfway out on his step before he remembered Mitchell had left on a quick trip somewhere, and didn't tell anybody where he was going. Not even Katie knew, which was really odd for Mitchell.

Without Dimmer there, there was no real place to go. Him and Katie still didn't know each other that well, she held stuff back from him and he from her, it just didn't feel right to pawn his problems off on her, and he was sure she felt the same way. He would only tell Dimmer those problems, mostly only because Dimmer forced Mike to spill it. He was always trying to make people happy, and sometimes the best way was to get the major problems out in the open, and joke about them, or he would be serious and try to help solve them. Before Mike had realized it he had started going to Dimmer with his problems expectantly to help get cheered up. There were only a few times he came back from a drive with him without a smile on his face from joking all night, or a feeling he reached some new spiritual level with himself. Like he had discovered just a bit more about himself or the human race in general. It was only until recently he realized how much that venting helped him.

He missed Dimmer so much these days. It was a little scared he would never see him again, he wouldn't care as long as Dimmer was happy, but even in his and Dimmer's dream of entering an anime, it seemed he was often far from happy, and in more pain than he experienced when he was here. 

He dodged expertly through the crowd of media waiting for him outside. If there was anything Mike knew well it was how to blend in with people. No matter how much you'd figure long hair on a boy would make him stand out, especially in a town where their were only two guys like that, and one had been warped to a new universe, people still seemed to see right through him.

He decided just to go for a long walk. Maybe check out the comic shop in case a new order of anime came in. He was walking over the overpass not far from his house when he hear a familiar car horn honk. He turned around to see Katie's car pulling up beside him. He quickly got in the passenger side before they blocked up too much traffic.

"Hey." Katie smiled in her usual quiet voice.

"Ey." Mike smiled back with his trademark greeting.

"Sooo…" they both started, then laughed as the other said it at the said time. "Synchro…"

Synchro- abbreviated form of the word synchronization. Used by this small group of friends in reference to when they'd come out saying the exact same words at the same time.

"Off to Mitchells?" Katie chuckled.

"Yup, you too?"

"Yup. Keep forgetting he's gone."

"It's weird he didn't tell anybody."

"Yeah even his parents didn't say."

"Catch the show?"

"Ooof course."

"Pretty snazzy eh?"

"Yeah. Daybreak really kicked. I wouldn't have thought of him doing anything like that in the original version."

"Yeah, well we were lucky to see what any scout did besides Serena. And he'd only pop up in the ones that had Rei as the focus, and even when it focused on Rei sometimes it would forget him completely. He's not even in the manga…"

"Tell me about it, did he even get a cameo in that one where she sings starry night."

"I don't remember…but I near had a fit when she was dreaming of Tuxedo Mask at the end of the song."

They both laughed. Mike stared out the side window for a bit as they sat in a more comfortable silence then the usual awkward one they found themselves in when they were alone together.

"Think it's getting carried away though? With the whole "Dimmer is a werewolf thing?"

"Mrow… maybe just a little, but that fight scene was awesome."

"I know just seeing it sent tingles down my spine"

"So what should we do?"

"I don't know… it's 4:30… I wanted to check the comic shop to see if my order of anime came in."

"Heh. Done and done."

End Notes:

Katcin Lee- thanks big time, it's also rather strange I'm not too into original character fics myself. XD 

A link between Dimmer and Chad eh? but he already… oh wait, that would be telling. =D

Some good news to share with ya, I have figured out what I'm going to do with the reality bits, the bad news? I don't think I'm gonna throw them into the fighting fray any time soon, yet there are many other ways one can help aren't there? Greg is proof enough of that I think ~_^

Thanks for waiting by the way.

Like Cats- ^_^ you got it! The itchiness is indeed a direct result of his little problem with lyncanthropy. Hey! You'd be pretty itchy too if fur was starting to grow outta your skin. Or at least I think it would be itchy… 

Yeah college can be a total and complete bumb sometimes, especially when it makes an update of a chapter you already had written up impossible to upload for an entire month!!

I'm hoping it was long and good enough, to make up for it,? 

Aeden- Rock on dude! White Stripes kick, I'll see ya tomorrow XD

Himitsu-no-hi- ^-^ V muchly appreciated! Many more fight scenes to come, do you think I finally got the hang of them? And I had to do something with Darien… when your big attack is chucking a flower at something, you better have some fighting skill to use after it…
    
    ;_; okay so I came up with Deliath off the top of my head. I will point out that he will make another few appearances or so, and he's not as wimpy (if you can call that wimpy) as he was against the wolf. Remember they sealed the guys magic before he even had a chance to use it If Beryl suddenly lost her magic she wouldn't be the huge threat she is either. If I can at all help it I can prove someone with the name Deliath can, indeed, be terrifyingly serious. MWAhAHAHHAHAH!!!
    I'm thinking genius is a little bit strong of a word for me XD, but yes I have indeed come up with a way to attach reality to fantasy. I'm gonna…. Well… lets just wait and see =D

Author: 

*on knees with teary eyed look*

gomen!!!!

I am sooooo sorry I kept everyone waiting this long, I had no idea my projects were going to take this long. I'm still waiting for my marks, but for those interested, I have been notified that I passed everything and did very well.

I would also like to apologize for faulty information, it is Sailor Jupiter's voice actor that does champ bear. *kicks informant*

Well, the story is underway, the songs are coming a little more rapidly, I'm drowning in love with three anime series I have come across.

*glomps Fruits Basket, Saiyuki and Chobits*

as always please review, I appreciate every last one I receive. *Dances as reviews start to equal how many chapters I've uploaded*

and I never get tired from hearing from you all.

Be safe   
^-^V


	28. Winning has it's Cost: Aftermath

Just forewarning Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue! 

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me, mainly cause I'd like to read it… Hell, I don't care if you don't tell me, it's not like I could find you anyway. 

Warning: mild language. Violent scenes, no worse than most action movies, but they actually sound worse when described…

"I can't believe the demon failed. Have the scouts really gotten that powerful? They have become a force not to be underestimated." Queen Beryl sneered as she walked through the dark, icy passages of her fortress. She didn't know the details of how the demon was defeated, her generals were all too wounded to stay around for the fight and report it to her. It didn't matter the evil presence vanishing upon the earth's surface told her enough.

"Yet still tonight was a large victory for us. Their spy was weaseled out, we gave them something to think about, a large portion of the crystals are now in our hands. My generals will need some time to heal, but all in all, a good night. Especially for this." 

She finally reached her destination. The large plant like decoration in front of her, where they held the energy from the attacks they made against earth, was glowing with the pink, dangerous energy. In this eerie room a glass bed lie in the middle. In this glass chamber was Chad, shirtless, and gritting his teeth in pain. A dark energy swirled around him, it was obvious he was trying to fight it's presence, but his training as a priest was proven to be almost worthless when it came to these spiritual things. He was using all of his knowledge on the subject, and he was losing quickly.

"This one took on fifty lizards by himself with no powers whatsoever. He will be a great addition, especially when he receives our power to use as he wills. He will be unstoppable! Could even Prince Darien stand up to this one's strength? He wasn't in the prince's league when it came to charm or charisma, but those things never attracted Beryl to a person. She was only attracted to power, and the people that held it. This "Daybreak" held an ounce of dark energy more promising than any power she'd ever come across. She was expanding it, letting it seep through every portion of his body. He would be strong, her most powerful general, and her prince. She would rule the worlds through battle and fear, with this man at her side, she would rule all. 

"We'll just have to use the mind control to help him clean up a little…" She laughed a terrible, loud laugh. 

Chad was disturbed to the bone, his concentration slipped, and he felt a little more of himself falling into darkness.

Neither of them noticed the small white tail sticking out from one side of the glass bed.

Lita walked into the room with everyone else. "Okay," she sighed, "Andrew just finished picking up his girlfriend, and he's returning the cat for us too."

"And I just finished with Grandfather…" Rei said coming in behind her. It was hard seeing her grandfather as he was. She looked coldly at Darien, she knew it wasn't his fault, her grandfather wouldn't have gone down easily, that didn't make it any easier to forgive him at the moment though.

Darien looked away. He threw everything he had at Rei's grandfather turned youma, worst of all, it wasn't enough. It was her grandfather that spared him. Darien could tell the creature was fighting itself, and still it was far from an easy task bringing him down. He never truly realized how powerful Sailor Moon's wand had to be, until he had to actually knock out the youma without it.

"Please sit down Miss. Rei, and Miss Lita. We've much to discuss." Talenite offered both a seat.

"First measure of business. Dimmer, and how do we turn him back."

"There are three ways, the first way is Dimmer's werewolf form deciding to change back to Dimmer on its own. The real question is how to make it decide to. Miss. Rei."

"Just call me Rei please."

"Very well, does that go for all of you?"

"Please." they all sighed together.

"As you wish, to continue, A werewolf can only truly be hurt by silver or pure magic. That means no elemental kinds of magic, water, ice, thunder, fire, none will work against him. That is why I believe Sailor Moon's scepter may be able to heal him, for it is made of pure magic. This is the another way to turn him back, and this way may be a more permanent solution. The question with this method, is how do we slow him down long enough for Serena to use it, and how to do that without fatal injuries."

"I thought it was only during a full moon, can't we keep him distracted for two days or so?"

"No, Serena, I'm afraid that is a false truth. The last and final way is if he runs out of energy, which is unlikely, it is magic that they thrive from, and he just ate a powerful demon. Tales also tell that the full moon is what makes them change. This is only partly true, as you may have guessed, on account of Dimmer never having been changed before. He had the main symptom, I should have guessed, but I never thought that one person could have so much mystery tied to them all at once."

"Well you underestimated Dimmer than, he is, by far the most unpredictable person in our world, and he doesn't even notice it. But my question is, if the full moon doesn't trigger his transformations, what does? And what symptom are you talking about."

"Patience Luna. I will try my best to explain. First the symptoms. One symptom to begin with, is a slight greenish tint to a person's aura, representing a touch of nature. Normally not very noticeable, but it swells close to a new moon. The second symptom, and most noticeable is either a blood thirst, or the opposite, a nauseous feeling at the sight of it. Dimmer obviously had the later. What this describes is the person's willingness to become a wolf. A blood thirst means that they are willing to accept the wolf side.

For the opposite, a person may not know they may be a werewolf, and their instincts tell them to fight it. The same is true for those who do not accept their wolf forms. Another symptom might be a fascination with wolves, but the most prominent, is the scratching. As your mind has visions of the future sometimes, I believe you refer to it as de ja vu, your body can have glimpses of the future too. It knows when a change will be evident and the fur tries to get out, irritating the skin, causing the person to become incredibly itchy, especially when the light of the moon is upon the person."

"Okay than, what triggers it?" Amy was really interested now. A modern day folktale was about to be explained in full.

"A combination of things. The full moon, being one of them. Another can be hunting, the thrill of the kill, another, being desperate, the fight or flee instinct being triggered, someone fearing you, the scent of it in the air can trigger the change. Finally, a large scent of blood, which I believe, turned Dimmer. There were pools of your enemies blood all around, there might have been desperateness to add to it, but he turned the moment he entered the open. That means the first thing to hit him would be the blood."

"Okay, how do we stop Dimmer from hurting anyone for the time being?"

"For now? It's as simple as not threatening him. He already made his kill, it was large and he will not need to hunt for awhile. He, like any wolf, will only hunt when hungry. Another is to try to keep supernatural aspects to a minimum around him. Werewolves feed on any humanoid, but moreover, they are the enemies to vampires, undead, and any supernatural being. Their power attracts them.

"And last night? We were all scouts than, why didn't he attack us."

"He thrives on instinct. Think from his perspective. His instinct told him there was nothing to be concerned about, you are all familiar to him, especially Rei."

Rei blushed, and the others giggled a bit, but let him continue.

"But most importantly, he had fed. You'll notice even Rei he growled at when she came to close to his food. I'm certain if there was no demon last night; one of us would be his supper, more likely me. He obviously didn't trust me, even if he felt no threat from me. Also he smelled my fear."

"Another fact we found out last night is a fierce protection over two scouts. Rei, and Amy, he may trust me now, simply for healing them both."

"Amy?" Lita questioned her.

"Well… Dimmer is very special to me. I know I found him and everything but its like there's something more, like a connection."

"Watch it there, Amy, you're moving in on taken territory there." Lita joked.

"No guys, I think it's really true! Dimmer doesn't listen to anybody, but himself most of the time. Not even me, but he always does whatever Amy tells him like a sulky little kid. He even looks like her."

"Yes. He does a little now that I think on of it. The real give away is the blue hair." Talenite remarked curiously.

"Huh? Sorry Talenite. Dimmer doesn't have blue hair, its black. I know, I had an argument with a nurse on the subject. I got her to believe Dimmer's hair was light brown, luckily he was wrapped up in bandages and always in a dark room most of the time."

"Hmmm… no I do believe you are the wrong one Rei. Have you ever looked closely at it in the light. I was walking with him earlier today in the afternoon, It's true his hair looks a deep black in any but the brightest sunshine, but I seen a tint of blue to it today. But we are off subject."

Rei thought for a moment… maybe, she braided his hair, but it was cloudy out…

"Talenite's right, and I believe I have an answer." The wheels were slowly turning in Amy's head. "Dimmer has no idea he's in a park right now. The question is how to keep him away from people."

"I'm not sure I catch on." Mina looked downright confused.

"If we can do that, he'd starve as a werewolf, he'd turn back human as soon as he found food he could only eat as a human, especially if he runs completely on instinct. I just wish it didn't have to be this way, this is still Dimmer after all…"

"We must Amy. Using his instinct against him. Clever, but how do we get him away from human habitat?"

"We have to lure him. We have to use something he hates, something that will get his attention beyond anything, and we have to do it now that he has a full stomach." Darien surprised them with a sudden spoken thought. It was the only thing he had said that night.

"He's right, and I think I have an idea of what, but… no it would never work…"

"What is it Rei?"

"Well…"

He yawned a loud, grumpy yawn. He felt like doing something, but what? The crowd staring at him as he ate had left with their familiar scents. He wanted to follow, but there was far too many people to around. He shook out his heavy coat of fur. He buried his meal for later. He decided he would explore this new territory. He felt too out in the open here. The scent of human was strong everywhere in the trees around him. So he ran towards the other way hoping to find more density. He ran trying to expend his wound up energy. It had been a long time since he could run until he was tired. He jumped up into a large tree to have a look around. Needless to say, it was not what he was expecting. Instead of a sea of trees as far as the eye could see, the tree line ended far too quickly, and great, stone monuments made by his prey, rose above these trees puny heights. The lights of the human city blinked at him. He whimpered his disappointment, and jumped back to the ground from the tree.

His energy drained away. This wasn't what he remembered. Large expansive landscapes, running through miles of fields and wood, the scent of the seasons in the air. Above the trees in this place, there was a feeling of choking. He was captured here, in this small brush of trees left as a reminder of the once beautiful forest that must have once covered the land. Anger flooded him, he felt a need for revenge against the people that would do this to his home, but was it his home? Was it even the same place? 

Yes. 

These scents of plants, he recognized them from times past, There was a scent in the air he could never forget. The magic, seemed to have dwindled compared to what it once was. He remembered how the humans had tricked him into taking his alternate form. Humans just couldn't except the part of themselves created his mate and himself, so long ago. They cannot except themselves to be in the natural order of hunter and hunted. They cannot accept being a part of nature they had created together. 

Maybe he should treat them the way the humans treat his fellow creatures? To hunt them mercilessly and destroy their homes without a thought! No. That was not nature's way. If he hungered he would hunt. If he was threatened, he would fight, or he would flee. That was life. That was freedom. He obeyed none, and was his own master. Besides this is what Artemis wanted, to see them flourish, to see them live, even at the expense of their world.

He travelled to the edge of the small wooded area. What were these new things? He walked over to it sniffing curiously.

It smelled of human. But as far as he could tell there were none around. He felt his clawed feet dig into the unnatural rock, as he went over to check out the funny looking thing.

The police in the squad car watched through their tinted glass as the large wolf-man made its way over towards them. It looked curious, and watchful. It could pounce on anything at any moment. They both looked at each other. No one was sure of what kind of thing could have done that to their fellow officer. John wasn't speaking to anybody, only his and his partner's wife. Pidge was still in critical condition. They were about to ready their weapons when a voice came over their radio.

"Don't do it. You wouldn't have a chance. He doesn't know you're there, I believe he's just curious about your vehicle. Operation "lights out" will begin shortly. Be patient. The worst that may happen is your car rolling."

Both policemen recognized the voice that saved their lives last night. The psychic radio guy had told all police in the ware house district to get the hell out of there moments before the whole place went to hell. They were smart enough to listen to that voice and it saved their lives when the entire warehouse was engulfed in strange lights. They both decided to listen to its advice again as they watched the large white wolf bend down under their car. The squeaking of metal started to make itself known, and they felt the car move underneath them, and the screeching of metal against metal was heard. Both were trying to hold in their screams. Suddenly one of the street lamps went out above them and it caught the wolf's attention. They were immediately glad that they followed the voice's directions as soon as they seen what it did to the lamp post.

Startled, he looked up at the light that went out. He felt a growing hatred for the thing that held a part of himself trapped inside. How dare it! He growled a loud feral growl before leaping up at it as quick as the light had went out. He left it in pieces, it would never be able to light up again. Than the strange tree next to it went out! Another one! Were all of these trees holding lights that wanted to be released?! This was going too far! Even for humans! Fine! He'd just rip them all out, human around or no!

The officers watched as the white wolf slaughtered the street lamps all the way down the street. Operation "Light's Out" seemed to be working. Throughout the city only one route had street lamps that were allowed to be left on. And they were all slowly going out one by one. The moment the wolf attacked one another would be going out.

"It's seems to be working, sir" One of the officers spoke into the radio.

"Good work boys. Keep staking out the place in case it comes back. I know it's been a long night, but we really need this."

"Will do sir, we're not going to go anywhere any way. My partner says our engine is lying on the ground right now."

"Oh. Uh… I'll see if I can call somebody for that…"

"Thanks." Was the officer's only response. The kid on the radio was right, it was long night, and for them, it was probably going to only get longer.

"What was that Greg? It's working! That's great! It's leading him how far outside the city? Mount Fuji?! Are you serious?! Well that's certainly going to be out of people's way alright. But we'll have to keep watch out for him. Alright, we're on our way down to the docks to search for any sign of Chad. Can you tell the police to let us in? We're in the vehicles the Prime Minister supplied for us, but we're not transformed right now. Our "other selves" are healing. Thanks. See you after all this is over."

Amy flipped closed her cell, and nodded to the other girls. Rei never even noticed the conversation, and in truth it was the last thing on her mind as she stared out into space. She was really worried about Chad, and her grandfather needed heavy medical care. She worried about Dimmer who, even if their plan went right, would be close to starving to death. She wondered how she was going to tell him about Pidge. John called the girls immediately, knowing Dimmer would want to be there. They had to let him know who the werewolf was. He could only answer in a steely detached voice. It was the same voice John had told her what state Pidge was in. Pidge was paralyzed from the waist down, right where the blast had struck him. 

He wanted revenge. 

Rei could tell, and she didn't blame him. She wanted it too. Her grandfather, Chad, Dimmer… all in one night. The Negaverse took everything from her, her entire family, and there was a chance she may not see any of these people again. She wanted to be beside her grandfather's side, she wanted to be looking after Dimmer, she was going after Chad because it was the only sensible thing to do. Chad might still be there and she might be able to help. She wouldn't be able to help the police watch the werewolf, and there was nothing she could do for her grandfather. She glared back at Darien who was getting into the car behind them.

Darien could feel her eyes upon him. He was sure she hated him. He had nearly killed Rei's grandfather for his own mistakes. Not only could he not control his own strength against Zoicite, he had no chance against Rei's grandfather turned youma. Her grandfather was holding itself back, if it didn't, he was sure he would be dead right now. He looked down at his own hands. The hands, he just realized tonight, that could kill. He should have tried in the tournament. If only he had of known…

Serena watched as Darien silently beat himself up. She held on to his hand, trying to give him comfort, but she just didn't know what to say. She was sure he hadn't even noticed her hand on his. He was hurting, and she was hurting to watch, but she couldn't take her eyes from him. She never could bare to watch someone in pain. She just kept whispering to him that everything would be okay, that everything would work out, but she knew he couldn't hear her, no matter what she said...

Luna looked at Serena with sad eyes. They lost the crystals, allies, and most importantly, friends last night. It was hard on all of them.

It wasn't long until both cars pulled up to the warehouse where the police figured out everything must've taken place. The police waved them through. There were skid marks of a motorcycle entering, but nothing suggested it went out again. There was no sign of it inside either. The scent of the corpses of burnt lizards was still in the air, though the bodies themselves were removed, combined with the scent of rotting fish, it was needless to say the place reeked horribly. 

The chalk outlines told the scouts exactly where what lizard bodies had been. There was around eight killed all together, but there were signs of many more all around, and they left many witnesses that told as much, there had to been well over thirty. Daybreak would never have stood a chance. Amy walked about, doing a complete scanner sweep. 

"There was a portal to the Negaverse here recently. There's no sign of Daybreak anywhere… This could be both bad and good…"

"What do you mean Amy?" Luna walked over to her.

"I don't believe he was killed."

"What?" Rei asked, suddenly a little less worried. 

"Really Amy?" Mina was instantly by her side.

"Yes, unfortunately I do not believe this a good sign. This is purely speculation, but I believe that the Negaverse has kidnapped him."

"But why? Daybreak was the weakest of us! Why didn't they take one of us? Or Tuxedo Mask? Or even Dimmer?" 

"No one knows the Negaverse plans Rei." Luna spoke up. "Needless to say what ever their purpose, it's sure to be evil."

"Yeah and bad news for us." Lita sighed.

"Not to mention Chad, I hope he'll be alright."

"Don't worry Serena. We know they haven't killed him, that's at least something, and that gives us the chance to save him. Right?" Mina pointed out, optimistically. "The question is how do we save him?"

"I'm not sure Mina. I'm going to do some more readings on this portal while its still fresh. I've never had the chance to hang around a battle scene before to get this good of a reading. Perhaps I might be able to find something." 

"Sounds good Amy. If you don't mind though, I want to go see my grandfather."

"Oh right… I know he'll pull through Rei…"

"I know Amy. My grandfather is no quitter right?" Rei smiled, once again putting on her façade for the team. The pity she saw in her friend's eyes told her it was too little, too late.

Darien was still looking around. He had just put Rei's grandfather in the hospital, and now this. He knew how Amy came up with the assumption that Chad was kidnapped. The Negaverse was still going by its old fate. Dimmer warned them about something like that occurring. They were going to kidnap him, than turn himself against the scouts. It seems Chad now took his place. No one could know what this would mean, what powers could they give to Chad? What price was Chad going to pay because he missed out on his own destiny. He looked over at the girls all offering Rei things they could help her with. Their was a lot to do to keep that old temple going, and now only Rei was there to run it. So how could he help? 

"Hmm… Dimmer… of course." Darien quickly transformed and ran out of the warehouse without even looking back at the girls to say a good bye. The limp in his footing told all that his wounds were not fully recovered.

"Darien! Tuxedo Mask?, where are you going?!" Serena turned just in time to see Darien's mad dash to the door, than ducking out of the building.

Everyone was caught off guard by Darien, and kinda stood shocked. "What happened to him?" Lita asked the unspoken question running through everyone's mind. 

"Darien…" Serena breathed out a worried sigh. He was in no condition to be alone. Something else had caught her attention though, There were voices outside the door, did Tuxedo Mask cause some kind of disturbance out there? If they came in they would know their identities!

"What's going on?" Rei walked up beside Serena to see what was happening. They both could hear the voices outside as the door was slowly being moved open, as if someone was forcing their way though the officers keeping it closed.

"I know the Sailor Scouts are in there dammit! And unlike you I have a good suspicion to who they are, and I have to speak with one, now get out of my way!" John pushed his officer out of his way before trying to pull the door to the warehouse open.

"Everyone! Hide! By the crates hurry!" Rei called out as quietly as she could. Everyone snapped out of their trance and did exactly as they were told. They took off towards the tipped over and broken crates, and managed to get out of sight, just as the door opened.

"I told you, out of my way! now stay out! And get a car ready for me when I get back out. Yeah, I'll deal with the chiefs, and I'll tell him just who's responsible for getting into their own captain's way! I give the orders here, 'cause right now they are under my jurisdiction, now get." John sighed as he finally got rid of the rookie officer. "damn rookies, everything's still so by the book for them. Okay…" He shut the door behind him.

He called out to the seemingly empty where house, "I know you're here scouts, and I'm sorry to barge in on you, but I'm pretty sure one of you are a certain Rei Hino. If not, tell me and I'll be out of here in less then a second."

Rei looked to Serena who hid right beside her. Serena just shrugged. Neither knew what to say or do.

"I just came from the hospital, you know my partner's there. They've been trying to get a hold of Rei for the past little while. It's about her grandfather!"

Rei's eyes went wide as she remained stock still, that is until a shove pushed her out in the open. She looked back at Serena, who was gesturing for her to go, worriedly. Rei simply nodded and turned toward John, Dimmer's friend. She only met him a couple times, but Dimmer spoke about Pidge and John a lot, so she knew how much Dimmer trusted him, but did that mean she could?

"Rei? You have got to come with me, the hospital needs your help."

"What for, and how… how did you know?"

"I'll explain on the way, here throw my trench coat on, its should be large enough to stop anyone from recognizing you." John threw his coat over her head, grabbed her arm and took off running. Rei felt herself get thrown into the passenger side of a squad car, before she could finally find her way out of the trench coat. 

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"A friend a favor. Not to mention you. Hang on tight." John switched on the sirens, "and buckle up… you're in for a rough ride."

The car took off down the street, switching lanes, and sliding in and out of the way of the cars too slow to pull to the side of the road, which, going at the speed he was going, was pretty much all of them.

"You're crazy!" Rei yelled as she buckled herself in, taking his advice. She had to brace herself against the window, to stop her head from hitting it as they took turns way too sharp. She screamed as she felt the two wheels of her side of the car rise up, almost rolling the car, only to feel them slam back down as they finished the turn. "You're going to get us killed! How in the world did you know I was a scout anyway?"

"Yeah? Well that's why Pidge dri… used to drive. And to answer your question, Dimmer isn't all that great at keeping secrets. You are a priestess from the temple he lives at, he says he's close to the scouts, and you and your friends are the only people he seems to hang out with. You are all about the right age and descriptions besides that. Truth is, its me and Pidge that are trying to keep the whole station from finding out as easily."

"Great…" Rei yelped in frustration that their secret was so obvious, when they just barely missed an oncoming car as John swerved into the wrong lane. "Than what happened to grandpa? He isn't? He didn't?"

"Die? No, it's quite the opposite, the hospitals having one hell of a time trying to put him down. Keeps saying stuff like it's only a flesh wound, and he's had worse."

Rei couldn't help but let out a relieved smile. She just hoped she could make it to the hospital alive…

"Amy, I have to go. Artemis has been missing since last night's battle, he should be back to Rei's temple by now. I want to go check out there, I'm starting to get a little worried about him."

"What? Artemis is missing? I'll go too alright Mina?"

"Serena, you have responsibilities here. Are you going to leave Amy by herself?" Luna protested quickly.

"Luna! Artemis might be hurt! Lita's here to help Amy, Aren't you at least a little worried? You've been fuming about that whole cat misunderstanding for weeks! We need you, both of you. And it's not like you to be so upset about something to stop you from caring if they're hurt or not. Don't you think its about time to put it behind you? After all , we lost so many friends today." Serena sniffed a little as a tear ran down her cheek, "We can't have these fights between us, not now… not ever…"

Luna looked down. After all the times she had to reprimand Serena...She let out a pained sigh, she was right. Even in the worst moments she wouldn't want him to be hurt.

"Of course Serena. You're right. Let's go find him. Hopefully his instinct can keep him out of trouble better than his mouth can."

"Now that's the Luna I know." Serena smiled and thought to herself, "It's so obvious she cares for him, but why is she always fighting instead…?"

"Please sir. We just need you to calm down. You may aggravate your wounds further!" The nurse was doing her best to get the old man off of the curtains.

"Now you listen here, I told you. I'm fit as I ever was." He was warding her and several other doctors and nurses away with the chair they had beside his bed. 

"Grandfather!"

The old man's eyes widened at the sound of the angry voice in the doorway and lost his grip on the curtain. He quickly fell to the floor landing on his posterior. The chair he was holding bounced off the old man's head, quickly sending him into unconsciousness.

Rei ran over to help the nurse pick up him up. 

"Huh? Oh miss Hino! I didn't think I'd see you again so soon."

"What? Oh Nurse Kala! I didn't know you would be here."

"Well I'm about the only one around here your grandfather would even speak to." Kala giggled.

Rei sighed as she looked at Kala's figure and realized why… He's up to it again…"He's looking much better than he was. I hope he hasn't been too much trouble."

"Lets just say most of the doctors will be as glad as he will be when he's well enough to leave. Is it possible for you to stay with him for most of the next two days? We figure that should be enough time, IF he calms down a little."

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm the only one taking care our temple right now."

"Really? What happened to Dimmer?"

"He's… come down with something." Like lyncanthropy… Rei finished to herself.

"Oh dear, and what about that other one you were talking about, Chad wasn't it?"

"You're certainly good with names." Rei sweatdropped, "Chad has…haaas…umm… taken a trip! Yes! He took a trip to America. He's supposed to be a pretty well-known guitarist over there."

"Oh really? Well, we'll have to see if we can do something. Tell me, does Dimmer still wear the braids?"

    Rei couldn't help but smile. It was Kala's idea for the hair clasps for Dimmer's bangs. She suggested them to keep the hair out of his eyes, it was going to be while he was in the casts, but he had healed too quickly for that.

Rei decided to put them in anyway, it helped his accuracy a lot when he could see what he was hitting.

"He hasn't taking them out since."

Kala smiled, "I'm glad. You looked good together, or at least what little I seen of him under those bandages."

"Hey, he was only wearing an arm brace by the time he left," Rei smiled. The cheerful way Kala spoke told her, that her Grandfather would be fine. She looked up to the doorway. "Thank you John."

"Don't worry about it. I'm going back to Pidge's room now. See you after."

"I don't get it, what could have happened to him? Artemis! Artemis?!" Mina was very worried now, she checked her house, and the temple and there was no sign of her faithful feline friend. "Artemis! Where are you?!"

"What do you think could have happened to him Luna?" Serena watched the distraught girl call out for her best friend.

"I don't know Serena… I really don't know." Mina and Serena weren't the only ones worried. What Artemis had said earlier was an age-old argument between the two. It started so long ago, it was one of the memories lost to both of them now, but even now it was still going on. She hoped Artemis wasn't hurt. She did not like the idea of him getting hurt when the last thing either had done was fight, and right now, she feared something far worst. There was no sign of Artemis anywhere, and a hungry lizard was big enough to scoop him up and …" The idea made Luna shiver. And it may very well be a harsh reality. No last words, not even a chance to say good bye. "Oh Artemis, where are you?"

He sniffed the air and looked around. The lighted trees were all destroyed, and the lights released to where they wished to go, but he wasn't in the same place anymore, there were more trees here, more nature. Had the humans not come out this far? He yelped in delight and ran through the wilderness. 

He had been running for several hours, and he was silently content. The moon's light was dimming and the sun would soon come out, but now he felt uneasy. For awhile he had been feeling a presence, a magic presence, watching, waiting. It meant no harm, and it feared him, so he wasn't too worried, but no matter where he went the black silhouette followed. Its scent was familiar though he couldn't place it. It's memories were so jumbled up in its mind. Memories from eternities passed mixed with the now. That thing the was making the white wolf nervous. No matter how many times he stopped to look, it managed to evade his sight. There wasn't many things out there that could do that and it unnerved him to no end. He was beginning to get hungry… He would have to find this magic creature. The hunt would soon begin.

Tuxedo Mask watched the wolf turn sharply around, he knew the wolf could smell him, yet it could not see him. His plan was simple. To stop the wolf from hunting the innocent, he would have it hunt himself instead. If the wolf was attracted to the magic in him as Talenite said, he would be its prime target. The problem was, would he be able to survive?

It was a predator, made to hunt, kill, and eat. He was human, he slept in a bed, shopped at stores. This is what he knew, and it wouldn't help him out here. So why was he risking everything for this? 

He owed it to Rei. It was because of him her grandfather was near killed, and he was doing it for Dimmer. One of his officer friends had been blasted by Zoicite, because he was careless. He would never be careless again, and Dimmer's werewolf form was going to help make sure of it, or he would be its next meal. He watched it sniff the air and stalk toward the tree he was in. Than it was gone.

"What?"

He felt a small vibration in the tree, and seen the feral eyes staring up at him. It was upon him.

He jumped away only to be pulled back down, and have his breath ripped out of his throat as his cape hooked itself on a branch. There he dangled in front of the hunter. Its eyes gleamed with fascination. With lightning speed it clawed at the dangling meal, hoping to end this quick.

Tuxedo Mask pulled the material away from his throat, it was pure luck his cape strap broke before the creature could make a killing swipe. He plummeted to the ground landing on a still sore leg from earlier. It didn't matter to him though, Dimmer taught him how to ignore the pain. Now he would use that lesson, and run. This creature was much faster than him, but he was smarter. The bad thing about this was he was in its terrain not his own so he was at a disadvantage. It dropped down after him, losing sight of its prey almost immediately. Its color blind vision could see in the dark easily, but its prey wore black and had disappeared amidst the shadows of the trees. It sniffed the air once more, searching for its meal. Its scent was close, but it was injured. Of course! That's where the scent was from! He smelled that blood at the sight of its last meal. This one was lying on the ground, he presumed it would die, but it was tougher than that it seemed. Good. It had been awhile since its last good hunt. It gave a growl as it stalked after its prey's scent.

"First rule to being careful, get rid of loose clothing…" Tuxedo Mask thought to himself as he took off what was left of his cape. He jumped into a nearby tree. Trying once again to hide from the wolf. 

"Shit!" The sound of the leaves might as well have been thunder.

The wolf heard it, and spotted the black clad man jumping from tree to tree. It quickly followed. The chase was on.

The police watched as the figures sailed through the sky from the tree to tree. Than as the one behind caught up to the first and smashed it toward the ground. They could feel the vibration from the impact even from on the highway the stood on far away from the two, as the first one impacted the ground. The police looked away. That man was trying to protect them. There was no way they could defeat that thing should it decide to go back to the city. This was just a diversionary tactic until it got hungry enough to ignore the lights, but than what would they have done? Than this man in a tuxedo told them he was an ally of the Sailor Scouts, and it was affirmed at headquarters. He told them to let him handle the werewolf, and just to keep out the way in case they get eaten themselves. It was obvious what he was doing. They didn't stop him because he was right. He was the only one that could handle him other than the scouts. They wondered just how long he would be able to hold out, and hoped there was something left of him to hold out after what they just saw.

Tuxedo Mask watched as the wolf stalked up to him slowly, cautiously. He quietly pulled out a single rose, feigning death, hoping to trick the beast, and allow him to get some distance between them. He could feel the sting from the claws as they near tore him in two while in the air. Most of the front of his body went numb from his rough meeting with the ground, he now knew that humans can bounce a good ways after being flung from a high enough, and from the right angle.

"Learn something new everyday…" He thought with a mocking smile meant for himself. He rolled over and flung the rose, before taking off like a bat out of hell without looking back. 

He couldn't ignore the fact that his insides burned with pain. There would be no chance from escaping the wolf's sense of smell while bleeding, and he knew it. That left one option, running. But how long could he run?

The next hour felt like eternity as he prowled through the woods. The branches marked his skin with their scratches many times over, as he pushed his way through them. Each snap of a twig made him stop and hold his breath for five minutes, before feeling safe enough to press on. The wolf had howled in pain behind him after he threw the rose at it. It was still on his tail, but he didn't know how far behind. Every second step he took snapped another twig, and made him stop cautiously, to survey the area before feeling confident enough to try again. Every time he stopped he could feel more of his blood ooze out of the wound along his stomach he held closed. 

"Dammit!" he cursed silently breaking another twig, and looking around again. This time he did see the creature though. It crouched low in the branches of the trees. It had caught the sound, and its ears were perked up and looking around slowly. Tuxedo Mask crouched low in the high grass. He felt the magic draining from him, the wound was serious enough, and he still hadn't allowed Tuxedo Mask to heal properly from the fight with Rei's grandfather and the demon. He felt the stinging wound close as he changed back to Darien the college student, but was hardly glad for the comfort. He wondered how long he could live out here without Tuxedo Mask's powers. 

The wolf felt the presence of magic shift from powerful to nothing. Either the prey had died or he had lost it. It would be dawn soon, and daylight was no time for a hunt. The sun hurt his eyes too much. He would have to find shelter for the night, and go hunt again first thing after the sun down.

Darien couldn't believe his luck. The wolf turned around and headed back to its cave. Darien was about to start making his way back to the highway, when he realized he had no idea where the wolf was going. The thing terrified him, and he couldn't believe he was about to follow it like this. But he told the police to stay out of his way, he couldn't allow it to go with out giving them some kind of warning. So he followed, or at least tried to. There was no way to keep up with the creature, so instead he followed the scent of wet fur in the air and broken branches. 

Darien walked and searched for signs for half of the day before he stumbled upon a cave. He assumed the creature went in there. After a while of following it, he had learned what the wolves large footprint were like and he was certain there were no others like them in all of the forest. But now it was too late for him to get back to his house to rest and get back to this forest. To continue what he was determined to do, he had to rest first, rest enough to heal, both his own exhaustion, and his Tuxedo Mask's wounds. To do that, he'd have to remain out here. 

"Than I better make the most of this…" He smiled with an idea coming to mind. He turned around and started to make his way back through the woods.

Sailor Moon Says: 

"You know, it's really hard when a loved one or best friend is hurt."

*shot of John getting steamed at rookie cop*

"but we have to remember it's no one's fault, and we really shouldn't take it out on others. It's a difficult thought to remember, and an even more difficult one to put into action. The best we can do is try, so let's do our best alright? Sailor Moon says!

Next time on: 

Sailor Moon

A Change in Fate: Dimmer Chronicles!

The Moon Kingdom? Is Luna dreaming? Darien vs the werewolf! Is there something wrong with the scouts? Everyone's so sad… but now's not the time to be depressed! Everyone's counting on us!

All coming up in the next chapter:

Father Time: The Moon Council

Reality Check

Jamie looked at the tall young man in front of him. He had to only be a freshmen in college, how did a kid that young seem to intimidate him? He was used to of the toughest arguments, debates, and most importantly trying to make a profit in the Hollywood industry from outside of Hollywood. That meant getting advertisers and investors internationally, and yet the dark glare coming off this kid in front of him sent chills down his spine. 

"Mitchell Mason. You've made quite a name for yourself, beating up reporters, friends with people sucked into different dimensions, and now your sudden disappearance from family and friends. I'm very curious, if you'll forgive me, about why you'd come."

"Cut the crap. What do you want. Say it now or I get back on the bus and go back the way I came. You called me remember?"

"Yes." Jamie coughed unpleasantly, he dealt with worst customers. The kid was just more challenge then he was expecting, Dimmer didn't seem to be the only extraordinary person on his island. "Well then, to get right to things I'm afraid I have to ask you a very strange question, but it's one that has been on a lot of people's minds recently. Since this whole incident with Dimmer. Only children seem brave enough to speak about it openly, that includes me. Even I have to hide up here in this office and whisper it, just in case I'm overheard."

"Are you gonna ask the question already or should I just leave?"

Jamie turned to look at the young man, his eyes suddenly black as coal. Even Mitchell had to take a step back as he whispered, "Do you believe in magic?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"What kind of bullshit is this? I came all this way on student loan money to hear this, I'm outta here." Mitchell turned around and was about to walk out the door, before Jamie had it locked automatically from his desk.

"I'm serious."

"You're insane"

"That's precisely why I was whispering. Magic… I've been considering it a lot lately, the truth about the Sailor Moons shows, the courts agreed with us, we couldn't let it out. Would you like to hear those truths Mitchell? You came a long way at nothing more then the mention of Dimmer's name, he must mean a lot to you."

"Not for me, for… for a friend. He has a few you know, and we were there long before he was famous, before he was even liked for that matter. But for that friend… They would do anything for each other, that includes saying good bye for the other's best interest. But those two… those two shouldn't have to, they are each other's best interest." Mitchell looked as if he stared through the walls, miles and miles away, back to his island…

"Hmm? Really?"

"Meh." Came Mitchell's response as if just realizing where he was again.

"Well, be that as it may. I still can tell you the truth about these things, if you'd rather not though, I won't blame you. These truths can't be said outside of this office, you must understand, because after you hear them, and see them, you'll be telling yourself you're as insane as I am. You'll have to believe in it, because there's no other explanation. We have the proof, and you won't be able to dismiss it. You'll have to believe as much as I do."

"I was expecting you to have a way of bringing him back. If you don't got it, I walk. Get the picture yet?"

"We may very well have the way back, but… well you're just going to have to see for yourself. "

"See what?"

Jamie leaned in real close and looked at the tall, young man straight eye to eye, smiled and whispered. Afterward Jamie showed Mitchell their tries at canceling the show, made him watch as the animators near had heart attacks as they watched the show. He watched as they pointed out scenes that were never drawn, how the writers were complaining about having their story taking away from them. Then Mitchell watched as the manager lead him to a room hidden away from almost all eyes. This place where the researchers the company usually had trying to come up with new and better technologies so they could stay a major competitor in the market were instead working on some sort of math problem. It looked like a quadratical knot mixed with computer code. Jamie was saying that this was the key to getting Dimmer back. 

Though they were only said as little more then a whisper that day, his words would echo inside Mitchell's skull louder then any others he had ever heard, as the manager of DiC told him…

"That magic is real…"

Endnotes!!

Himitsu-no-hi - *shot of Daybreak giving the fifty lizards an evil glare, he takes that dramatic step forward, reaches to his sides, and to the terror and surprise of every lizard, grabs out his undies and attacks! Hog tying one, as but a blur to the rest! So fast he had the underwear around the second lizards legs in the blink of an eye. The others screamed in horror as Daybreak proceeded in unmercifully giving the lizard THE ULTIMATE WEDGIE!!!

-SCUM OF THE EARTH COM ON!!-

Yep, gotta say that WAS rather interesting… but in other comments =D I'm glad to see your approval of the song part of the fic, it took me a long time to do, and I wasn't sure about including it in, despite the fact that I loved it. I just wasn't sure if other people would see it the same way I did. 

Yeah the wolf thing did end up a bit cute at first, but as you know, that don't last long do it? and trust me, I know all too well about how hard it is to keep track of all the injuries I'm giving to the girls and there friends. I oughta start keep track of all the injuries I'm gonna be giving to Darien XD

The reality bits are ending up a rather big part to the story. I couldn't believe how easy it was putting them into the plot like that, oh well, guess we'll all just have to see what happens.

Okay so I grabbed the comment you made on the fic when I sent it to ya early ^_^;; you were right, it probably was goin a little to far, but it's not like didn't fore shadow it or nothing… and since I figured it's what people in reality thought, it would be good for Katie and Mike to think that, considering they're in reality

Thanks so much for all the help!

Kaji- I've heard some of your offensive jokes, I prefer them not at all, let alone in my reviews XP and would ya stop saying that? yer story is cool, if you'd just post it…. and if you don't start actually writing second chapters to it instead of rewriting the first one over, I'm gonna have to hunt you down and force it outta you. I'm not a big fan on fics on the moon kingdom, butI liked it! besides Chad plays a key part in that one later!! =D ya gotta write it now!!!

As for laying some glory Chad's way? . someone had to, the writers certainly didn't, and I hardly see any fics where the guy is anywhere as half as cool as he could be if they paid him any attention… no~oo he always leaves, for America, on gigs, with a voice and guitar playing talent that seems to suddenly pop outta nowhere. Despite the fact that he stays at Rei's temple, while being rich and obviously wanting to make his own way around there. I mean if you think about it, it don't make much sense… the dude is rich, he coulda had his start anywhere he wanted, and he chose japan. Why is he suddenly going to america again? I mean come on? Who is Chad? Who are his parents? How did they become rich? Chad don't seem like the type to lie, so why did he tell Rei he was a bit of a rock star from america? Why was he drunk on the temple steps that night? Was there a falling out between friends or family? What matter of circumstances would bring a guy to get so plastered, he'd wake up at the bottom steps of a temple? What kind of guy gives up everything he ever had or ever known, because he saw this girl, with out a second thought to anything else? I could write a book on this guy!

Gah! enough ranting on Chad. I am waaaaaaaaaaay too biased of him…

^_^;; you know kaj, I don't think that the review comment area was quite the right place to remember kindergarten songs, or theme songs to old kid shows like lambchops play along… what kind of person names a lamb lambchops anyway?!

Talk to ya later kitten!

Be safe ^-^v

Star pinky- Where do I start? I read your review and my hands wouldn't stop shaking for the next 5 minutes afterward. I usually email the people that review a thank you note, but I was so stunned by this I decided to say thank you right here.

I can't tell you how little I know about the generals/scouts match ups, I'd figure you'd have to know a bit more past the first season then I do. It's been a huge difficulty just trying to include Pluto in, cause I don't know if I'm writing in character for her or not, she'll make her cameo very soon now actually. Though not to the scouts or Dimmer or anything like that…

I can hardly believe I've had anybody hooked from the start of this, that had to be near a year ago now… ^_^;; please forgive for those first few chapters? More then once I've though of going back and rewriting some of the parts, but I'm worried about accidentally changing something detrimental to the plot….

*plugs ears on remarks about Chad before he starts rants again*

for all those wondering, I haven't made Serena and Darien heads over heels in love together simply because, they weren't. in the first season it was something that grew between them, they we're kinda rivals, then friendly rivals, then friends that pretended to be rivals, then it stemmed from there. I want to try to recapture that in this fic. It's difficult, because I'm no expert on love, and I sure the heck ain't sappy and try to avoid sap whenever possible. ^_^; I'm scared that's become a little too evident in the fic mind ya.

Gah! more commmets on Chad!

*plugs ears*

the plot? Well it was a series of dreams I had once about this certain scene with the scouts and this new guy they actually cared about, and he was… well it's much later in the chapters, and I want it to be a HUGE surprise when it finally comes up. I'll tell ya when though, but hopefully that will be self evident too. I can tell ya it was inspired by a song, and it will be going on while I write the scene.

The plot itself is filler. Interesting filler, filler that had to show how much the scouts care about the new guy, and to show the effects that he has on them. It's become much more then filler mind you. it has stories, sadness, good times, bad times, blood, sweat, and tears. i wanted it to have everything life can dish out. Originally it was meant to be written as quick as possible so I could write out that scene I dreamt about. But it's so much more now.

The reality bits I'm particularly both, proud of, and insecure about. It's the first time I've ever seen anything like them in a fic. I've read lots of fics before, about people going into their fave anime world. But they never tell about the people that cared about them in the world they were from. Don't know about you but if I got suddenly pulled into a new dimension, then my friends would be quite distraught on the subject, or at least I hope they would…

As for ego? ^_^;; I think I'd need some confidence in myself first before I developed any of them. I appreciate you trying though! XD

Thanks for the review, and the confidence booster, and for the thank you. thank you, two words can mean so much to us all can't they?

Author:

I can't thank you enough for all of the reviews people. Each and everyone one of them are more precious then gold o me. This well…. Book I guess, is going to be about 40 chapters long, and I just finished writing chapter 32. Updates will take much longer now due to story line and plot line efforts to make it all very understandable, quite a task when dealing with time and space interruptions. There isn't too much more to go. Please keep the reviews coming! 

They do actually help me write faster, kind of spurring me on literally…

There's so much left to do, and the fact you're all enjoying this fic, and knowledge that it is indeed being read, and everything I'm putting into it is not in vain. For over a year I have been writing this fic, I'm not gonna stop now.

Even if it takes another. 

Until next time, well actually including next time and anytime after that… everyone, be safe!


	29. Father Time: The Moon Council

The night was clear and the large crystal palace shone beautifully. The wind blew a soft, warm breeze and the crystal lights that lit up the Moon Kingdom, sparkled like the pure light of the stars above. To the sky and earth, the night was like any other, but to the people that lived there, it was quite another matter.

The great council of all the planets had gathered! There was a judgement to be made on the most prestigious, old, and powerful being in the entire universe. He was loved by all that was good. He was known advisor to the Moon Queens before there was even a royal family. It was rumored for him to have existed before the moon itself. It was he who had made the crystal of power, and he that created the moon wands, and scepter. The power of light was his to command, on some of the more primitive planets he was a god, and on the most advanced planets he was still treated as one. He had an answer for every question, though not often a helpful one, and sometimes he would not answer at all. His warnings were always heeded, simply because to question him was to question time itself. For he was the father of it. It was for this he was named, for his real name had passed out of all knowledge save his own, and the queen's long, long ago. They bestowed a name upon him that suited his task. His title was simply what he was: Father Time.

So why would such a good and caring being be put on trial by the very council he helped to create? He was there, behind the scenes when the royal family took the people out of the cold recesses of the moon to help them create a kingdom that would rule the universe. It was this great father of all, who created the guardian senshi, trained them, and gave them the tools or wands needed to control the power they wield to protect their worlds. It was he, who created a scepter to rule all the wands, so justice could be served. He was there with advice and assistance to help the good and kind monarchy of the moon to rule over all the planets. Why would such an old, kindly man be put on trial?

Why? 

Because he performed a miracle…

He created a life form. It was not in the form of a human, but with the intelligence of one. He created a cat. Actually he created two. Each were imbued with the magic emblem of the moon, and had the sparkle of intelligence in their eyes. But it was asked what purpose did they have, by his own words, and he had no answer. This frightened them more than anything else, for as said, he always had an answer.

It was for this the council had gathered. It was true, Father Time, was an eccentric man at the best of times, and they thought for sure that he had finally gone over the edge. To create a whole new type of being for no reason, who knew what they might do? 

A navy blue cat walked down the hall with the Queen of the Moon Kingdom at her side.

The Queen bent down to talk to the cat.

"You are sure about this?"

"I… Yes your majesty. I seek many answers from him."

"If I can I will try to be of service to you. But the other, the other one like you. He has the same reason as you, will he speak out against him as well?"

"No. I do not believe so your majesty. He seems do be fine to live without a purpose for his existence."

"Than why do you? Why do you seek your purpose?"

"Your Majesty. I'm scared. I'm scared I was made only on some flight through fancy of an old man and his delirious mind. Not only that. But his mind helps to run all that is here. Even you, your Majesty, depend on his advice."

"Yes. I'm afraid it is true. There is more than just the creation of a new species at risk here. Come. The council awaits our arrival."

A FLASH OF LIGHT

The scene is now one of golden hardwood lined along a huge expansive room. The room is covered in chairs and the important delegates in them, diplomats, kings, queens, rulers of all sorts had come to take part in the great council.

At the head of the room was a large seat and desk that was meant for the Moon Queen Serenity herself, her presence produced an awe of her beauty and a silent respect to all that resided in the large expansive room. All save one. The one located in the middle of the room. His white beard came down to his chest, and his white, frazzled hairs streamed down his back. His blue robes longer than himself, flowed over and on to the floor. His brown eyes twinkled in knowledge only he could know. He rose along with everyone as a sign of respect when the Queen entered the room, but he did it slowly, and with the cane he used to help keep his balance. Unlike the rest though, when told to be seated as the Queen sat down, he remained standing. His own looks were so simple, so astounding, he was the very embodiment of a man who should live forever. The council looked on apprehensively as he open his mouth to speak.

And he did speak. In an old, cracked voice, he greeted her majesty and the feline with her.

"Hello, Old friend."

He smiled to her majesty, and then to his dark furred creation.

"And to you, my beautiful daughter, my miracle of life."

In response the cat looked away. She felt such an anger swell up in her. An anger at this man, an anger at her own self, for her very existence. While she visited with the Moon Kingdom under the permission of Father Time, she came to learn how things were done. She watched in awe at the beauty and peace that was here, but there were also the whispers. 

A FLASH OF LIGHT

The scene changes once again, and a younger version of the same cat is walking around the castle. She hears whispers of her before she entered a room. One man called her an abomination! He said she shouldn't have existed!

For one year herself and the other one like her roamed this wondrous kingdom, until the whispers grew loud. Other kingdoms came to see if it was true, and they were quite distraught when they left. She didn't realize why she was called this "abomination", until she caught the gist of a conversation nearly the whole year later. 

They were worried. 

They worried that it wasn't that he had no answer, just that they weren't supposed to hear the answer…

The humans were worried that "their Father" had created something to replace them. 

"Replace them?" she thought, "Replace these people who have made something so… beautiful?" The cat couldn't stand the thought. Did her father really think that way?

A FLASH OF LIGHT

The scene is silent and now the cat sits before Father Time in a garden. It's obvious by the look on her face that she just asked a question, and now anticipated his answer. His eyes twinkled, and a smile warmed his cracked, wrinkled features, and his lips moved to speak. The words he said burned their way to her heart, and the cat sprinted off crying. The father of time smiled softly as she left. His cane, that was more like a strong, gnarled stick, chose that moment to give out. A white cat walked in, and jumped in surprise as he found his creator lying on the floor. He quickly ran to his aid. The old man assured the cat by picking him up into his lap, and tickling him a little before settling down by simply petting him. Calmed, the white cat took off happily out of the room. The father of time looked out the door straight at the blue cat as if he could see her behind her hiding place in the tree. She wondered absently, How it was he could always seem to see her? She wondered if he could see her tears.

A FLASH OF LIGHT

"I greet you, oh master of time, father of creation, and oldest of allies to the moon and all planets that wish peace."

The Queen's words brought the cat out of her memories and back to the council's gatherings.

Th old man in front of the council arced his eyebrow at the queen as if waiting for something more.

"and Old friend." The Queen smiled.

"Ah good. You're titles you give me will never be as important as that one simple phrase. Especially since some of them are not entirely true." He smiled enigmatically. "But you've asked me to come to this council, for once not as an advisor, but as an accused. But I am unaware of what crime I may have committed."

"I'm afraid it isn't a law that could be applied to any other Father. My grandfather wrote laws a long time ago, and I am sure that you are aware of every last one."

A smile was his only response. The blue cat looked on. It was rumored that the Father had helped in the creation of those laws.

"What we are here to discuss, Father, is the making of a new law, and whether you have disobeyed it."

"Hmm… That makes little sense to me… How was I supposed to obey a law not yet created?"

"Father I am sorry, but the delegates, and people in general are in uprising, and are frightened, and your silence on a certain matter has not calmed their nerves, if you but say what your plans are for this young life I have beside me, all could be solved."

"I have none. I have not designed her life out for her. It is hers to choose."

"But certainly you have some plan for me?! Please! Why was I created?!" The cat stood up now, trying to keep the emotion from her voice. Her presence brought fear to the people there, she could see it in their eyes, her abnormality. Had she heard him correctly that day? Had she left before he finished? Let it be a mistake, what he said than, let it be a mistake…

"Dear one, I created you because I felt the universe could do with a little change. I have given you a purpose, like I have given you a name. I haven't, nor will I ever."

There they were. The same words he had spoke to her before. They echoed off of the walls in her mind, once again burning themselves unto her heart. The cat could only watch the rest of the proceedings through blurry, tear-soaked eyes now, as she couldn't stop the uncontrolled sobs coming from her heart. Was she not worthy of a purpose to him? Not even a name? All of his other creations had both, she was to have neither.

"I cannot allow this!" The Queen's voice echoed throughout the room settling down the large amount of arguments, conversations, and whispers going on. "How could you?" She shouted at the old man before her. He simply looked up puzzled.

"How could you do this to her? She has been nothing but a friend to me and my house the entire time she was here. I trust her as I trust you! All she asks of you, her creator, was a purpose! And you will not. This is what I called the council for. You were the one behind this council's making. You are perhaps more powerful than all else in creation, but will you concede to the ruling of your own council?"

"I will. I would be shamed to do otherwise. I trust in the people here. You all look for what's best to rule your own worlds and universe. I will follow any judgement you make."

"Thank you Father." The Queen's look softened. "Your respect and honor are beyond many, as I am glad to have trusted in them both."

"I've found them to be likable qualities to have" he chuckled.

"I trust in you Father Time, and yet I am now forced to make a proposal to this council about your position."

"My position?"

"Yes Father. I cannot guarantee many will be satisfied with you holding so much power over the heads of the people here. You continually tell me you are as capable as any of us to make mistakes, but should you make a mistake, as I believe you have here, with your creations, it is realized there is no way to stop you."

"I see. So you and the kingdoms no longer feel safe with your infallible Father of Time watching over you, when he is not so infallible. Yes I can perceive how that may be threatening. Have you thought of a way to go around this?" The old man gestured to all in the building, "I know all of you, and have so for many, many years. You are all friends to this old man, but I can see your trust slipping away. I will agree to anything to help bring your faith back to me. I have far too many friendships at stake to do otherwise."

"Thank you Father. I do have a plan. We would like you to have an heir. One we can trust."

"An heir? What a splendid idea, but I do foresee a problem with this my lady."

"Yes?"

"Many years from now, you would have this same problem with this heir. Now there is two sides to my art. Could I instead train two heirs? One to learn the way of time, and one to learn the way of space. That way, the senshi combined or the other heir, could rival either heir."

"Your advice, as always, is sound Father. Yet there is another matter to attend to. Your newest creations. Could I give them a purpose? And perhaps a name? Here in my kingdom?"

The black cat looked up at the Queen who smiled down at her. Than she looked to her creator excitedly.

"If they agree to it. I see no problems for it."

"Than my feline friend, would you care to join me and my court?"

"Yes! Oh yes! Your majesty!"

"Very well." Queen Serenity smiled down at her newest servant. "Than I shall give you a name. Form now on you will be known as Luna, and your race, mooncats. Is this to your liking, Luna?"

"Your majesty. It is more than I could have hoped for."

"I hope your life is happy Luna of the Moon, should you ever need me ask your other. He will know where to find me. Now I shall select my heirs. One shall be from the kingdom of Pluto. The chosen shall become the Guardian of Time, they are probably the most precise people I've ever known, and the art of time is a very precise one indeed. And the other from the planet Mercury, upon who will be called the Guardian of Space, they seem to have a knack for those type of things. I will teach them from children and onward. I have much faith in the princess of Mercury and her chosen prince, but she is still too young for a baby. Her boy, I have sensed a great destiny from him. And Pluto's new princess, I believe her parents will not be able to afford the time to give to her. They are busy defending the borders from the outer planets. War is no place for a child to be raised in. They will have to stick close to me though, for they will learn the secrets creation, and, undoubtedly, a few of my own personal secrets as well. After so many years of travelling alone, maybe the company will be good for me."

"And what of the other like me Father? Where shall he go?"

"Just like you, Luna of the Moon, he must first have the choice to go where he pleases. I will not allow him to be forced anywhere he does not wish to go."

"You've done so much for us Father, but I still must ask you one last thing."

"Yes? Old friend…?" He looked at her questioningly.

"Father Time…" She paused, looking for the way to say it. This would be hard, and she had to say it in a way that it wasn't her choice, but that of the council's.

"Father Time…" She repeated herself, and took a quiet breath, "This council has decreed that after your heir, or in this case, heirs, are taught, you will be respectfully retired from your position."

"RE…! Retired!!!" His voice boomed, echoing off the walls, "And, who, is even this council to retire me? What is your reasoning?!"

"The council believes this is based on insanity. Your creation of a new species with no purpose, or even a name has us all distraught."

"Insanity?! On behalf of creating something?! Really now?! I doubt I'd have heard half so many complaints when he helped in your creation!!" No one noticed when the white cat had stormed in. He came as soon as he could get past the guards outside.

"Please, my son, don't get caught up with this foolishness." The old man calmed himself, so he could calm the cat better.

"But foolishness is exactly what this is! How can I just stand out there and listen to them complain on how you made me?"

"Nevertheless! A being with your power cannot be allowed to go insane!" The moon Queen interrupted You could threaten the entire universe! Please understand Father, as much faith as we may have in you, even you proclaim yourself to be mortal, and fallible."

"Fine. I will do as the council wishes." The old man's voice rang of the walls, shaking the floor they stood on, though it only came out as a whisper. "I will take the heirs you wish me to train, than they will tell you of your own absurdity." His words spoke in a tired tone of finality. Then he bent to one knee to pet the anxious white cat at his side. "My son, I bestow upon you the power to contact me whenever you are in need. Simply call out and I will come. You will always know where I am."

"Why Father? Aren't I going with you?"

"No my boy. I have sent you and "Luna of the Moon" away from me to begin your journeys to find your answer."

"What answer Father?"

Luna's ears perked up as she listened. Was he going to give the white cat a purpose and not her? His eyes caught her own, and she couldn't look away. He said something that she had never understood no matter how many times she thought back to it and then he teleported away. 

"The answer to why you live. The reason to your life. The reason your not just another wild animal. I leave you here to live so you may one day find your answer."

He was only ever seen again when he came to pick up his students, each at the age of three.

A FLASH OF LIGHT 

Luna woke up taking in huge heaving gasps of air. She had fallen asleep, and she hadn't rested well, with worry over Artemis. Now she had this vivid dream, which was obviously something that had been dredged up from her past. But why him? Why now? Was it about the argument she had with Artemis before he was taken?

She remembered now that they'd had that same argument many times before. He had never chosen to go to the moon kingdom, instead he went to the planet Venus. They got along well enough, but whenever the subject came up, the fights often became hateful. Luna was starting to remember all too well Artemis's love for their creator, and her rivaling hate. He had chosen to stay and protect the princess of Venus, who he had become fast friends with, just as she had chosen to become the guardian and advisor of the Moon Princess. She wondered though, where Artemis had gotten his name. He had gotten it right after the trial. But everyone could only wonder why he had chosen the name of the 'goddess' of the hunt.

Luna sighed to herself and hoped she might still get the chance to ask him.

Luna yawned to herself then jumped up on Serena to wake her for school. She was surprised to see Serena already awake. Tears had wet her pillow from crying that night.

"Serena? What's wrong?"

"I just don't understand Luna. Where's the purpose in all this? My friends, all of us, have given so much. And… and… *sob*… I just don't see the purpose anymore. I fought to make sure my friends were safe, and now… now all of them are hurting, their not safe at all… I can't see any reason to continue this…"

"Oh Serena…" Luna looked at her with eyes that only saw herself from her memories. Than it clicked… everything clicked, and she suddenly knew what her creator meant. "Listen to me…" Luna jumped in front of her, about an inch from her face.

"Serena, I'm going to tell you something, a great man once told me though not in so easily understood words."

"Hmm?" Serena stopped sniffling to hear, because despite Luna being so close to her, she spoke in a very quiet voice.

"The reason why you and I are so special and different from the creatures of the forest, is because every creature of nature is part of a balance, and has a purpose given to them by the one who set the process in motion. Meanwhile, we do not have such a purpose given to us."

"We don't?"

No Serena. You see, we have to choose our purpose for ourselves, and it is not always an easy choice to make, and sometimes you don't even notice when you've chosen it. Mine was to be the guardian of the Moon Princess, and to do all I could to protect her. I didn't know it was what I chose at the time. And now I have chosen a different purpose."

"Really? And what's that Luna?"

"I want to guard and protect you Serena. That is the reason why I'm here. I could always just choose to get up and walk away from all of this, but I don't want to. I want to stay and make sure you and your friends are safe. That is my purpose. And it has taken me this long just to realize it…"

"I'm not sure I understand Luna…"

"You will some day Serena. You will some day. Now up you get! I don't want you to be late for school!"

"Aw Luna! Can't I just stay home today?" 

"Certainly not! I'm here to look after you! And that means your education too!"

"Ugh. How come I get the feeling your going to be even more of a nag than before?"

"And have a decent breakfast for once! I don't want to have to see you trying to choke a piece of toast into you while sprinting down the street."

"Aww Luuuun~aaaaa!!"

Mina sat in bed, and wiped the tears out of her eyes. She looked at her calendar in a rare quiet moment from her. Well it used to be rare for her, but she had been that way for the past two weeks, since they found out about his disappearance. He was her best friend, and confidant. He had been by her side through thick and thin, constantly there to offer advice or warning when she needed it. Now there was no sign of him. No one could tell if he was dead or alive. She hadn't lived here very long, but the friends she met had become very important to her. Serena's ever present sincerity, Rei and Lita's strength and determination, Amy's brains, Luna's advice, Darien's quiet, helpfulness, she even got used to of Dimmer's bad outlooks on life now that he smiled every now and than, and Chad… Chad's endless task to remain an equal, despite never being given a gift of power like everyone else, his endless hope 

She was surprised to find out he was supposed to be some kind of music star from America when he first arrived there. She reached for her autograph book. It was nearly full with names of rock stars and actors. She had been a groupie and fan of just about every star that was on television. She followed their concerts, and could probably rhyme off, from the top of her head, anything you wanted to know about any of the names in her autograph book. 

She never heard of Chad.

"Maybe he had a stage name?" She smiled sadly. Artemis wasn't the only one she cared about taken away that _fateful_ night. Both of their teachers were taken in one foul swoop. Chad…

She had no idea what his fate would be, Amy said he wouldn't be killed, but then what? What was going to happen to him? She really didn't want to think about it. And Dimmer… once a great asset and now an even greater danger. He wasn't after people's energy like the Negaverse Youmas, but people's lives. He'd feel no mercy toward them, simply because they were his main food source. Just as a hunter had no mercy on his prey. Prey… that's exactly how Dimmer would now view them.

She hadn't heard too much from anyone since then. She saw them in school every now and than, but everyone was too busy thinking of how they would get through the next wave of Negaverse troops. Serena, for her credit, was trying. She had made house calls to everyone constantly. But her cheerful demeanor had vanished along with Darien. No one had heard anything from him since he left the warehouse that night. Some of them feared the worse. Serena told her, he hadn't been home yet, his mail was piled up in his door, and newspapers from two weeks ago were just lying there. Serena was as heart broken as everyone else.

Rei had been getting along okay. Serena said she has been keeping her mind busy on helping her grandfather get back to proper health and off the fact on how the temple seemed so lonely without Chad or Dimmer there. Serena said she noticed as soon as walked into the place, and she couldn't imagine how it must be having to be there 24/7. Her grandfather was supposedly making real progress though, not to mention Rei seems to have a friend constantly there…

Lita had been training at the temple night and day, even more than what Dimmer and Chad had them doing at the start. She was saying that now was the worse time to slack off on their training, she was probably right, but no one had the heart for it right now. Rei was her only training buddy, and she would only spar with her once a day, so she could make sure her grandfather was okay.

Than there was Amy. She, out of all the scouts, had Serena worried most. For the first time any of them had ever heard of such a thing in all of their lives, Amy was skipping classes.

It was quite a surprise when she first found out but she hadn't been to school in weeks. She ate, breathed, and slept by her computer as she decoded, wrote, rewrote, broke, and rewrote code again. Her eyes were red and swollen, and Serena was saying she doubted it was just from staring at the computer for so long. She was worried. About all of her friends, but mostly about Dimmer. Every third word from her mouth was about him. She may have been breaking the code to the Negaverse and the very fabric of space itself so they could rescue Chad, but it was always about Dimmer they spoke. 

The police had heard no reports of him leaving the territory they first led him too, but there were definitely signs, noises, and large damaged areas proving he was still there. Amy was researching, and talking continually with Talenite, and Greg about the weaknesses, habitat, and any other information about werewolves. They hadn't come up with any better theories than they had now, but it seemed to be working as it was anyway. As long as Dimmer remained out there where there was nothing to hunt, he would soon begin to starve. He will get worse before he gets better, becoming desperate to find something humanoid to eat, and that's probably when the scouts would have to confront him. It would be just to kill time and waste his energy, and when there was nothing around any that the werewolf could eat, it would change back, leaving Dimmer famished, but mostly unharmed.

Amy and Dimmer had some kind of connection that was more than any of the closest friends, and she knew more about him than even Rei, as they found out that she knew about his past the next day after he had told Rei. 

Serena said Amy's latest interest was the backpack Dimmer arrived with. He never owned it or the stuff in it before he arrived there. So since she couldn't figure out any more about his werewolf form, her, Talenite, and Greg have turned to Dimmer's origins. Mostly it was just clothes and a broken digital watch. Greg was trying to fix the watch, he actually got the mechanics and the face of it repaired, he said that the only problem left in it was the battery needed recharging. Serena said there was supposed to be something strange about the battery, but she didn't understand what.

Mina sighed again. She had only learned anything about her friends because of Serena's continued visits. But she didn't know what to do anymore, if the Negaverse attacked now, the scouts would be finished.

"Artemis… what would you say?" she cried, the tears renewing themselves as they traced along her cheeks. But unlike all the other times she asked herself that through the last two weeks, there was an answer. 

The familiar, scratchy, cheerful voice came from deep with in her own mind. "Okay girls! Let's get out there and fight!"

Mina looked up. That's exactly what he would say, what he had said many times before. Get out there and fight. Show them what you're made of.

Mina grit her teeth in new found determination. She had always taken Artemis' advice before, if she might never hear from him again, the least she would do was follow the advice he already gave her. For the first time in two weeks, the blonde went over to her mirror.

"Won't do to go out there and try to encourage friends looking like this." She looked at her red puffy eyes, and ruffled hair. After done getting her self perked up, Mina fished out her communicator.

EVENING AT THE TEMPLE

Rei and Lita were obviously the first ones there. Lita hardly left the place anymore. They waited inside Rei's room for the other to arrive.

"So what do you think Mina called the meeting for?"

"Don't know Lita. Serena said she hasn't been doing much of anything but crying lately when she came by yesterday, so I'm really not sure."

"Hi guys!"

"Speak of the blonde…" Rei gave Serena a flat look at her overly cheerful greeting. Serena, obviously, wasn't feeling so cheerful. She knew Serena was only trying to help, but it was more annoying than helpful to her right now.

Serena pulled down on her eye, and stuck out her tongue in response. Rei was about to say something, when Luna interrupted. 

"Not now girls, Rei I expect more out of you."

Rei's jaw clamped shut.

"Hello everyone." Came Amy's quiet voice from behind Serena.

"Serena stop blocking the doorway. Hi Amy. Haven't seen you in a bit. Serena says you, Greg, and Talenite are really working hard."

"Oh not me really. It's Talenite and Greg who has been really helpful."

"The girl speaks nonsense, it was her that came up with almost everything we know about that code." Talenite walked in behind her.

"Yeah Talenite, we all know how modest about her talents Amy is." Lita laughed, "Did you hear anything about this meeting Amy?"

"I'm afraid not, I haven't heard anything from Mina since…"

"Yeah us too." Rei supplied quickly.

"Hey! Glad you all made it!" Mina smiled as she walked in the door, taking her coat off. "Ooo, it's chilly out there."

"Mina what is all this about?" Rei asked.

"The meeting you mean?"

"That would be the question in people's minds".

"That's simple." Mina supplied, "It's to get the scouts back together."

"Back together? I never knew we broke up…" Lita leaned back against a wall, no longer very concerned.

"Really? We look pretty broken to me." Mina observed the room, and everyone inside. "We haven't met like this for two weeks, the only contact I had with any of you was from Serena, who is the only reason any of us know anything about what we've been doing for the past two weeks. It's horrible! What would Chad or Dimmer say if they knew everyone but Lita gave up our training? We came that far under their training in two weeks, and now we spend the same amount of time doing absolutely nothing."

Most of the group looked a little shamed. 

"But how are we supposed to train without our teachers? And what about Dimmer's special power of teaching us? We can't get as strong without that…"

"I can answer that Amy. Dimmer and Chad made a schedule for training us. I've been using it for the last two weeks. It's true I haven't gone near as far as I would if I had Dimmer there to teach me, but I have made some progress." Lita put in from her spot up against the wall.

"That's not all though, Lita."

"I think I see what you mean Mina. Before we had our meeting almost once a day sometimes. I was able to share some of the plans I'd set up, and we could decide our priorities, and what goals we would try to accomplish that day. Despite all of the time I put into breaking that code, I feel like I haven't gotten very much done these past few weeks."

"That's what I'm saying. Serena's been trying to tell us this in her own way, the way she visits us all every day. And that's despite being heartbroken over Darien. Rei your grandfather is fine now, we need your help. It's time we did something to help one of our friends. Talenite? Can't you make a portal back to the Negaverse?"

"I can only do it for one person at a time, and once there, only I could take you back. Which means if I'm harmed in any way…"

"We can't get back." Rei put in. "Well that's useless…"

"Not quite Rei. Talenite's ability to travel to the Negaverse has been extremely helpful in my research. Combined with the readings I got off of the warehouse, where a huge portal was made, possibly larger than the warehouse itself, I think it's only a matter of time before I can find a permanent opening we may be able to go through."

"Really? That's great Amy! And thank you Talenite, you don't know how much that means to us."

"I must admit, I am rather interested in how all this turns out."

"Hopefully you'll be on our side the rest of the way." Rei smirked at him.

"Little doubt of that. Only death awaits me, to serve the Negaverse."

"Has anybody heard anything on Dimmer?" Mina smiled. It already felt like a real meeting.

"Actually Greg is checking that out tonight."

A loud knocking and the sudden thump of something brought them all to attention. They all looked to Rei. She shook her head. She had just put her grandfather to bed with a few sleeping pills to help him get the rest he needed. He wouldn't be up until morning. Lita gestured to the window. That's where the sound seemed to have originated from. Rei, being the closest one to the window, looked outside. There was a slumped over shape against the ground, it seemed to be wrapped in some kind of black cloak. She looked closely and saw dark stains of blood on the ripped and torn cloak.

"Hurry! There's somebody hurt out there. A minute later they all found themselves outside watching as Serena unwrapped the sticky, ripped and tattered cloth from the man's body. She noticed several tooth and claw marks in the holes, and was just finishing getting the stuff off his face. She had the surprise of her life.

"Darien!"

Sailor Moon Says:

"It's okay to be depressed you know. No one can be happy all the time. But no one should be sad all the time either. We were all very depressed after we found out about all we lost from that fight with the Negaverse, and we even threatened to remain like that, who knows how long it might've taken to come around if Mina didn't help me?!"

"Depression is a very serious matter, that almost everyone goes through! And no matter what you might think, you're not alone, there's always someone out there who cares, or notices, but when we're depressed we tend to chase away these people who try to help us. We don't see them, and are only absorbed in ourselves. Remember there are roses blooming out there, and even if it isn't for us, if we start looking and caring for others, we can be just as happy for their roses as they are. 

"Then you just might see it was the smiles of the people you care most about, that will make your own roses bloom."

"Sailor Moon Says!"

Next time on: 

Sailor Moon

A Change in Fate: Dimmer Chronicles!

Darien, What happened?!

Artemis is lost in the caves right inside the Negaverse's base! Can he protect Chad, and find a way out of the twisting labyrinth of rock?

Then guardian of time remembers the Father of it, all in the next episode:

The Masters of Time and Space

Reality Check:

Among the room were easily hundreds of computers, and Mitchell couldn't believe it, as he walked around NASA's hallways. He turned to see a couple of Japanese scientists talking hurriedly with each other. They were both very excited about something, switching in and out of english, they might as well have been speaking Japanese the whole time, for what english they were saying had just soared right over his head. He shook his head. Scientist from every modern country had gathered here. Everything was on a verge of a breakthrough that might change absolutely everything!

But his main question was what was 'he' doing there? Him and Dimmer simply got along, they were much alike in their cold attitudes, well when he had one. He watched Dimmer's outlooks change episode by episode. Everyone here was talking like it was an international rescue mission, but he wondered how many had Dimmer on their mind? Didn't they know what life was like for him here? Didn't they realize they should just leave him be?

Mitchell sighed, "rescue mission my ass. Everyone here just wants to break 'the barrier'.

The barrier, he figured like back home that Dimmer's name would be on the lips of everyone at his rescue mission, but no, all he ever head was talk about this stupid barrier. The barrier of time and space, the barrier between dimensions, the barrier Dimmer had somehow passed through, and crash-landed into the Sailor Moon 'realm'. That's right, instead of world they wanted everyone to refer to it as 'realm'. There was a few that had Dimmer's best interests in mind though. He smiled.

He could trust anyone that actually watched Sailor Moon. The first and foremost being Jamie, the manager of DiC, and the reason he even knew about any of this. But why? Dimmer had another, much closer friend then him, so why was he here? This question needed answering, and he was headed to Jamie's office.

Jamie sat behind his desk. He could hardly believe he had his own desk at NASA now, and they were finally getting close, getting close to some answers! He watched the monitor showing Mitchell heading in. He let the automatic cupboards close over the monitor and watched the door patiently. He knew why he was coming, there were others looking for them as well, and Mitchell happened to be one, the difference from the rest of the week when he asked, was Jamie finally had clearance to tell him. Mostly because there would be a press conference this afternoon, telling much of what was occurring, and Mitchell would have to learn what to say. 

There was an angry sounding knock at the door, and Jamie smiled. "Come in Mitchell. Did you get that suit I sent you?"

"Why?" It was all he said, he shut the door with his foot, and gave Jamie a glare that told him just how much he liked to be kept in the dark of things.

"A rather broad question, care to be more specific?" He joked, they both knew very well what question it was, he'd only asked it in this same situation 5 other times throughout the week.

Mitchell narrowed his eyes. He was about to get violent, and took a step toward Jamie.

Jamie just realized what was different about this situation from any other time he'd asked, there would be an answer today, even if Mitchell had to beat it out of him. Jamie was far from ready to deal with physical threats, the people he usually dealt with would stop at the simple thoughts of being sued. Mitchell obviously had no such cautions.

"W.w woah there Mitch! N..no need to get angry right?" Jamie started to stammer, as Mitchell walked toward him, "it was just a joke! I'm going to say! Really! I was just waiting for clearance! It came today, look for yourself!" He had backed away from his desk so he gestured toward the brown envelope on the table. 

Mitchell opened it, and glanced at all the legal jabber he knew would be there. What wasn't there was the information he was looking for, Jamie was starting to get on his nerves. He walked around the desk. "Then tell me."

"Okay, now here's what it's all about. You are who we want to be the spokesperson. The public speaker so to speak."

Mitchell stopped and blinked. "Me? Why the hell…?!"

"Look at it this way, you're the public's favorite out of Dimmer's friends right?" Jamie straightened up, recomposing himself, "so we decided on you, also you make enough publicity to keep the publics eye off the more important details here, if we manage to get passed this barrier, then we'll have some wrong hands that'll want this. Imagine if they could go into one of the older shows, build their own dimension, they'll be able to breed an army, without anyone to stop them. We only want to give hints at what this can do, you can keep secrets Mitchell, I can see that easy enough, but you can also distract, and have the public follow you around, instead of say, one of our more important scientists?"

"And why should I? I hate those peckers, they've been buggin' my friends for sometime now."

"They'll only bug you instead for now on."

"I can get them away from my friends if they force me too…"

"I'll make you rich" Jamie interrupted. 

"I'm in." 

Author's notes:

Hey money'd get me to agree pretty quick too!

Hey all, hope you enjoyed!

Merlyn: You're right, we really do rule. It is my hope and joy to spread our most excellent accent far and wide, so none can disclaim this. Never forget our accent Merlyn! Those who continue to laugh are just envious!!

Hart: Quit! Me? I never quit!! Finish yes, quit never! As for finishing, but the end is gonna be awesome!! I wanna I wanna I wanna!, what if I agree to write more stuff after the end, just not having to do with this fic? Please…?

So it's my birthday so I've decided to update, and once again I must thank my reviewers. I really mean it, I never would have gone this far without your encouragement.

Things are gonna boot up really quick here, and I think there's like a 3 chapter fight scene on its way, so get ready for some action, Hope you guys like them so far, but this up and coming one may just be a little brutal! like always please review, and thank you. thanx all, for reading, see yas next time

Shameless self promotion! For more of me stuff check out that fictionpress.com place for poems!! Just look for me username here, A.Kitana!

LoL

Later all 

Be safe

^_^V


	30. The Masters of Time and Space

Darien Shields. He was known as a cross between anti-social and out going among college buddies. He walked a thin line between them both. He NEVER talked about his upbringing or even much of himself, the inside of his apartment was the target of jokes for almost all that knew him, because he refused all suggestions of people ever coming over. He never talked about anything that might have been bothering him, though you could see the dark expressions of secrets in his features whenever his attention was focused on something. Also, he hated to lose. You could compete with Darien Shields at his worse sport, game, or test, and he'd never give up until you were utterly defeated. If he loss, he'd put on a polite smile, but those that knew him, could see him berating himself for missing that last strike, or not getting that one question, and he was almost always gone to mysterious places until late in the night, often missing appointments and group meetings.

And yet people liked him. He was a great listener in a time where everyone loved to talk. His advice was always helpful and highly respected, and he was always quick with a joke, and loved to help people. His high morals kept him and anyone who hung out with him out of any trouble, and you could count on him to help in whatever you needed help with, studies, life problems, sport techniques, the list goes on.

No one could know of the secret life he led behind the scenes. Fate had him destroying monster at night by the side of friends that he could never be completely sure of. It was only recently when this new person appeared out of no where into his life, that things started to change. Tuxedo Mask was no longer the best fighter for good, but when this new arrival had joined he had set Darien up with his allies permanently. He found they were all trustworthy and, like him, always looked to do what was right. One of them knew almost all there was to know about him, knowing her since they were only children. He was remembering her in his life more and more recently. She was his best friend at a small age, when the only friends he thought he had were imaginary. (heh ;p, gee, I'm not referring to any movie there…)

She knew about the orphanage, and knew about his secret life as Tuxedo Mask. She was there trying to comfort him during any bad situation that came around in his life. He now protects her. He found himself fighting now, less and less for the Moon Princess and more and more for her. The Moon Princess's cries in his dreams seemed to be growing more calm, as if he was somehow closer to her, and her crying to free her less desperate.

He suddenly jumped out of the way of the large, white humanoid, wolf as it pounced. He used the tree to ricochet himself into another tree opposite the one he just jumped off of. As he did a rose flew at an amazing speed toward one of the vines coming down. The vine snapped, and the audible groan of a tree was heard as it fell over between him and the oncoming, and desperate wolf. The wolf broke it to pieces in fury as it lost sight of its prey once again. Darien smiled, he had set traps up all through this area of the forest for most of the week. He had started it that first night, hoping to find some way to capture the beast. All of his efforts at that had proven futile and useless, the thing just had too much brute strength, and pure speed, that he was sure it would tear a freight train to shreds if it were to charge it head on. But he found it worked as a distraction. Many times the creature nearly had him, and he would set off his traps like the falling oak, to stall for enough time to get away.

He noticed though, that he had to use the traps less and less. He had three main strengths over the creature, despite all of the strengths it had over him. First was that its eyesight, though excellent for long distances, catching movement, and seeing in the dark, could not see colors. This allowed him to move among the black mud, and dark shades of trees much more easily than in other places. By staying near the swampy bog that was there, he found he could disappear to the creature's sense of sight. 

Second was its sense of smell. It obviously had unbelievable sensitivity to its nose, it was something to remember when he had to go toe to toe with it. More than a few times, had he tagged a hit to its nose, and managed to get to a more defensive position, or even stall it long enough to evade its sight once again. It's strong sense of smell also could be fooled, and used. Darien had decided to use himself as a lure. That meant keeping it distracted. That's exactly what he did. He used a sharp stone to cut himself open, and he traced his blood throughout a good amount of all of the surrounding area around its cave. It was being driven insane with the scent of him, because to a predator like him, it was the strongest smell he could produce. Also by doing so, it could no longer use his scent to find him, him and the tree next to him would smell exactly alike. Darien had managed to become invisible to both, its sight and its sense of smell. The senses of taste and touch could not help it in such a situation, so four out of five senses had been negated. 

Third and finally, was its instinct. It ran completely by it. That meant if it was in absolutely any immediate danger, it would forget about its prey, and look out for itself. An example would be the big oak that nearly landed on him. He had his prey in arms reach, and could have grabbed it easily, and the tree MAY have been enough to scratch it. But when it fell, all of its attention went straight to the tree, forgetting its hunger momentarily, in case of danger to its life. It always chose to dodge rather than take necessary damage.

Darien had survived this way for two weeks. He managed to get the police to leave some human food by the road, always enough for 6 meals were left there for him. He had no time to go home. He had covered himself in mud and pine needles trying to hide his scent, and every night he'd cut himself and trace his blood along certain trees, bushes, and plants. All of the most dark places in the wood, that would remind the creature of what he looked like. It was working, and the creature grew more desperate with each passing day. Its reactions were starting to get slower, its strength weaker, it needed more time to rest and recover from its hunts for him, while Darien adapted to his surroundings more and more. He would strike out of no where, the creature would be caught off guard for awhile, and the moment it started to get an upper hand, as it always did, he would slip away, just as he had now. More than once had he been struck mortally several times as Tuxedo Mask, and actually had to fight this wolf demon as nothing more than Darien. Obviously they were the most tense times. One clip, and he'd be lunch, but he had survived. The fact that he was even able to survive like that, and still evade the creature, was truly something to behold. But this day, when the wolf woke up, it did something different.

The creature was not following the traces of blood he left for it. Instead it headed toward the city! It was still in the area Darien had planted traps around, but it was far from the bog, and his blood trails had long been passed. Now only his scent remained, there weren't any places to hide, and there were hardly any traps this far from the cave to distract it.

It didn't really matter anymore anyway. It would try if he came close enough, but it wasn't following his scent any more. It's steps grew desperate, and it bounded in large, and high long jumps towards the city. It was slower going because of its need for rest, and using energy became more of a task for it. If he took it in a toe to toe fight, he wouldn't win. He had a great gauge of his own powers now that he had to use them for pure survival countless times a day. He had to make himself forget how tired he was, despite his body being exhausted. He had to forget pain, as it only slowed him down. He had to think quickly of using his surroundings, and improvising, seeing how it gave him an edge in the fights, and he needed every edge he could find. But if the scouts and he united and fought, they just might bring this thing to its knees enough for Serena to heal it.

He had to make it back before the wolf, there was no time to waste. It was on the hunt, and he could act as a lure no longer. He took all the stops out and bounded toward Tokyo. He poured all of his strength in to pushing his legs. To the onlookers from miles down the road, he appeared as nothing more than a small black flea jumping through the many miles of wilderness.

Minutes felt like years, and hours felt like millennia. He would never know how long it took him, but he did know he arrived first. There wasn't much time though. The creature would stop earlier on, Darien could tell by the cycles the wolf creature had gotten into. He could see the temple now. That's where he'd find help. 

"Damn!" he muttered, as his legs almost gave out on him. "So close… I'm almost there…" 

He grunted as he tried to make the final leap on worn out legs. "I… made…" The words fell short. He fell into his exhaustion as he propelled himself through the air, he was asleep before the girls heard a thump outside their window.

Once again Artemis found himself inside the chamber that held Chad encased in glass. He stalked slowly in. Making absolute sure nothing had spotted him. He had some kind of delicacy in his mouth stolen from one of the plates of the Negaverse generals. He didn't know, or care which one. He was being as careful as he could, and many thought they saw some kind of white thing pop in and out of places. They never thought much about it though, thinking it was some sort of youma, or maybe one of the many other creatures that Beryl was summoning lately. His eyes were long used to of the silent black shadows that filled all of the corridors not lit by some unknown source of energy. The ones that did manage to see him, thought him some thing like a strange rat, and never bothered too much with him. It seems that most youmas never even knew what a cat was.

He was appreciative of that. Most knew that two "cats" served the enemy, but not many actually knew what this "cat" actually was. He managed to stay alive as well as he could by playing thief with food, and being careful to be out of the generals and Queen's sight.   
"Man," He said in nothing more than a whisper, "What did I get myself into?"

He thought back to the fateful night where everything went nuts. He had snuck into one of the compartments of Daybreak's motorcycle. He was knocked unconscious during the crash. When he woke up, he squeezed his way out only to see Daybreak rush into a whole mess of lizards. Artemis was stunned for a moment before admiring his courage, and joining the fray. No one noticed the white blur zipping between legs, and sometimes jumping up to claw more sensitive parts of the face. Than nausea hit him, and he fell over sick, the air all around him bent and deformed. He woke up to the screams of more lizards, and gunshots. The mist in the area stopped him from seeing anything, but he knew, somehow, where they had ended up.

The lizards must have transported them into the Negaverse! 

Then he stood stunned as something drummed through his ears, louder than the gunshots and explosions. A song. A horrible loud song about bleeding, and screaming. What he was hearing couldn't be real, could it? The heavy guitars, the drums, the beat flowing through him, where were they coming from?! Then… 

Then the voice. Daybreak wailed the lyrics of the song as if there was only it and him. His actions were more brutal even than the youma, it reminded Artemis of the violence in the gang wars that Mina and him had been going after for years. There was no mercy in his actions, mercy would lead to his death, so there was only blood, the smell of gun smoke, and the heavy beat of the song. And Daybreak was drowning in it, anger and satisfaction for each one taken down, and there were so many down now, there was a smile in his eyes as he broke them. There was no mistake, he was enjoying this…

Who the hell was this guy?

He watched as he tried to blow the brains out of the last lizard, the gun barrel pushed far up into its mouth. He was out of ammo, and hadn't realized it yet. He had gone delusional, and he was just starting to come to his senses, only to lose them completely as he fell over unconscious from a combination of exhaustion and blood loss. It didn't take long for another of the Negaverse to find the battle scene. It was reported immediately. 

Artemis remembered waiting, watching, and, following as they took Daybreak back to Beryl's headquarters. The sickening, looking cave, and scent of mildew on the stone walls. It went on for hours in a twisted maze of caverns, often with no lights to be found. When they had finally found light it was a dim, unnatural one that led its way into the room where he sat now. He hid behind the see-through coffin while Beryl made her intentions known. He watched as the plant like thing on the wall slowly seeped energy into the coffin, poisoning the mind of the young, wannabe rock star within. Artemis felt useless. In the amount of time he had spent there, he had been trying to memorize a way through the labyrinth of caves below, but it seemed like the wrong way could lead you on forever. Many precious hours were being lost just trying to find his way back to this room for the first week. The second week, he learned of the inner chambers, and the general's rooms. The generals all seemed to teleport to anywhere they went, so there was slim chance of running into any in the hallways.

Artemis was looking for a way out, and now that he was here, he thought to try to find a way in as well.

"Ironic." He whispered to the silent figure of Chad beside him. "All this time I've been trying to focus my senses to find negavibes, and now I have to try to focus my senses to find a place without them…" He thought he might have found a place like that too. It had less of negavibes than the places he found all around it, he just had no idea how to use this knowledge to his advantage.

As if in reply to Artemis, Chad grunted, but it obviously wasn't to signify he understood, he was almost completely under the control of the Negaverse now. Artemis watched as Chad writhed, whether because he was in pain or denial, Artemis didn't know. He heard voices coming from up the hallway leading to this room. For some reason Beryl never teleported as all the generals did. He didn't mind that too much, it gave him a moments notice to when she would enter the room, and this one, he was sure, was quite quickly becoming one of her favorites to visit.

"Tonight. He will be ready tonight. Have Zoicite go out with him, let her show him what needs to be done exactly. I will send a small troop of youma and nightmares with them. I want her to control the monsters, let my precious Daybreak go free style, from the information I received he seems to enjoy that, and we want to make him happy, don't we Malachite, I want you to relay my orders to be done to him. I do not believe Zoicite to be completely trustworthy as long as she continues this vendetta against this Tuxedo Mask."

"It shall be as you wish my Queen."

"Good, now leave. I will make sure our little surprise for the scouts is prepared."

"I will see to your orders immediately."

The chills down Artemis's spine told him the enemy of everything he stood for had entered the room. 

"Ah, quite comfortable are we?" she smiled at the captured young man. "It won't be long now. Soon, you will rule at my side, only this puny world stands between me and the rest of this universe. Than you, my Prince of the Dawn, you shall rule with me until the ends of time, conquering all of the many universes together. We will search every dimension for the one that banished us all so completely, so easily… yes and after vengeance is ours, We will rule supreme! HAHAHAAAHAAHAHAAAAHAAAAAA!!"

The shrill laughter echoed of the walls of the cave and traveled down all of the caverns below. Artemis felt all his fur rise on end, but, something she said… get back at the one who banished them? Queen Serenity? No… she was dead… or maybe the Moon Princess? Yes! That had to be it! Than she wasn't captured yet! They still had a chance. He had to find his way back now, to give the girls the good news! Prince of the Dawn… now why did that seem familiar? But first… He watched and waited until Beryl had enough of teasing the unconscious young man, and left to look over the battle plans for that night. 

Artemis had never went near the root-like objects leading to the glass coffin before. He knew that's how the energy was seeping into it, but he couldn't do anything about it. The roots looked strong, and he had to fear discovery. But now he had no choice. He had to provide some kind of chance for Chad to break free of their hold over him, and if this was his only chance, than he'd have to risk it. It didn't matter if he was caught, even if he did succeed in cutting the roots, they'd know someone had been there. They would be looking. After this was done, he'd head down to the spot from before and do his best to try to find a way out.

As soon as Beryl left the room, he ran over to the roots and picked them up in his mouth, the dirt and horrible taste to them, turned his nose up in disgust, but he didn't drop them. He pulled, all of his muscles were straining from the effort, but all that was happening was him tensing the roots. He pulled harder and the roots tensed more, but they didn't break, but they had moved, that was enough to let Beryl know someone had been tampering with it... 

"Damn!" He thought, "They'll know I'm here and I won't even have helped him! I got to keep trying!"

He pulled ceaselessly against the strength of the roots, he managed to stretch them to the side of the coffin where he usually hid, but they just wouldn't let go…

His eyes widened in surprise as Zoicite teleported in. Only Beryl was allowed in this room! "C..c.. can't.. stop… nooowww…." He almost grunted, but managed to keep quiet, "I… almost… haaaave… iiiit…."

Zoicite walked over to the coffin, and looked down at the figure inside. "So your Beryl's new favorite plaything? Not much to look at. Good, less competition for me. Hey, what's this?" She noticed the pulling of the vines. Than she noticed who was pulling them.

"You!"

Artemis, finally let the grunt go as he used the roots to propel himself backwards underneath Zoicite's feet, just as she was reaching down for him. 

Now there are a few inborn abilities cats have. The ability to hear a can opener from incredible distances away, an ability to purr and make you feel your the most comfortable you've ever been, as long as they feel comfortable. There is the uncanny ability to shed dark colored fur over light colored clothes, and light colored fur over dark colored clothes. But the more important inborn ability that gave Artemis an advantage in this situation was the ability to get under foot. Any cat owner will probably know what I'm talking about here. For all you non-cat owners, you'll just have to trust me on this. Now picture this ability when the cat is as intelligent as a human and has a large rope-like object in its mouth…

To put it short, Zoicite tripped, the root snapped from her extra weight, and Artemis ran down the hallway. 

Now throw in the fact that the Negaverse generals never seemed to walk anywhere, it was actually because they would sometimes get just as lost as all the other youma and visitors in the caves. Not so great a thing when you need to keep the prestigious look a general has to keep, so when Beryl moved her base here, the generals tended to teleport anywhere they needed to go, instead of looking foolish enough to get lost. Of course to learn ones way around a place, getting lost is probably the best way to do so. You figure out all kinds of different things about places you never knew before by getting lost.

So as the facts stand Zoicite never got lost, and when she did walk, she stuck to the trails she knew by heart. Meanwhile Artemis spent most of his time lost in these caves, so it wasn't all together Zoicite's fault that Artemis managed to lose her quite easily in her own base. It's just that all these things were going against her at this time. She really is quite competent … sorta…

"Fate's wheel is turning…" She thought as she stood looking at the scene unfold below her. The appointed guardian of time stood, her green, lengthy hair reaching all the way to her ankles. "Yes I will do as you wish, but I do not understand. Everything is in order now, we have worked hard can we not just plan out a fate for Dimmer too?" She spoke in response to the voices only she seemed to hear. 

(But because this is fanfiction, and I'd like people to understand what's going on, well… at least a little, lets go into her mind and actually listen in on their conversation.)

"Guardian do you question the Council?"

"No nothing like that, I just wish to understand."

The voices went silent. This is how it always was, speaking to her superiors. To Fate itself she spoke, and it took time to make a decision on how to answer even the most simple of questions. And what Setsuna was asking of them was far from a simple question. She was asking to be let in on their thoughts, something only herself and one other had permission to do. She was their greatest ally, trained by the Father of Time itself, in the secrets of time. 

The other allowed to ask such things was being trained by the Council, for only they knew the secrets of space well enough to teach, but he had learned all the knowledge they could lend on the subject, and more. The secrets of the power of space were lost along with Father Time, and now being brought back by his adopted son. Setsuna was now Arkand's appointed guardian, as she was the guardian of the newest moon princess. 

She tutored him in the ways of time now, and he had become almost as good with it as her. He looked like a mere boy, but when transformed, only her and Fate's powers could match his. And when his wings were brought out, there was only one that had ever lived that could match it. The one that made his wings, and taught her, the one Fate had hunted, outcast by the Great Moon Council he had helped to create, her ultimate betrayer. Father Time. And now once Arkand learned how to control them, his power would be incomprehensible, the power of time and space, just like Father Time himself. Even Fate wasn't strong enough to go up against such power, though only barely. She looked after both of them, Arkand, and Rini for the time being.

But in the silence as the council tried to come to a decision, her mind turned to her predecessor. She'd never forget a minute, no matter when it happened, she couldn't, she was the guardian of time. But the difference was, this was before she was the guardian, when she was just an apprentice. She watched as her thoughts replayed themselves, as she the death of Father Time.

"Hasten Child! All of the lives of these planets I have lived! I've gone and mastered time, and now I have none! Hasten! And bring your brother! He shall gain the power of space before it is too late for us all, and Fate gains the power."

"But I thought Fate was good! It's intentions are pure, are they not?" A much younger version of Setsuna carried the dark blue haired child inside the caves of the comet. No one knew of Father Time's home except the young boy she held in her arms, herself, and a white cat currently located on Venus. It was crowded with magical items, some weapons, some toys, mostly simple items. Some worked, some didn't, some would destroy the very fabric of space if fooled around with, No one would ever know which did what, except for the old man himself, and he didn't seemed concerned with any of it.

"My dear child, The best intentions can lead to the worst crimes imaginable, the worse part is people may not even know it's happened…" The old man spoke sadly. "Fate doesn't know what it does, nor sees the wrong it its ways. It's arrived and I am old, and not as powerful as I once was to fight it. And now I have made a means to travel and search out every dimension, I've made a means of passing on the powers of space! and it knows child, it knows! It's come from the cave, and it senses the power here. This place must be destroyed… I must… yes. It must come to that I'm afraid..."

"You're going to use the wings aren't you Father! But you can't! You said you couldn't… I wondered why you would bring Arkand, he is still too young! You said just last week he doesn't know enough to use it, but you will give him the wings anyway?

"Yes Child, yes. The wings of Valor must be given to him, and there is only one way to imbue him with the knowledge I hold to use them. Damn that council! If it wasn't for this heir business, the other dimensions could forever be safe. I should have known, it was Fate controlling them all along. He must arrived ages ago! I never seen it coming, Queen Serenity would have never… Poor Luna … Fate used her confusion against her... and now with these wings, Fate could go anywhere they wished! It would only take a few centuries to learn their workings than none would be safe from it deciding their life for them. I will not have it! Here…" He quickly pushed off all of the powerful items from off the table to the floor.

"Put him here Setsuna."

"Yes Father." She did so nervously, the blue haired boy was still asleep.

"Very good dear. I wish I could have kept my promise to you Setsuna. You would be a fine Guardian of Time." The old man's eyes smiled with amusement, "Even if I do say so myself… But now you must watch outside for Fate to come, stall him if you can, I need time, more time…"

"But Father!"

"Shhh…" He picked her up in a large hug, "Everything will be fine Setsuna, my dear Setsuna. Go with Fate my child, it will have use for you and the knowledge you carry. It will teach you more about time, do as it says. Some day, we may meet again, though neither of us may realize it at the time…" His eyes twinkled with knowledge of ages beyond and before this time.

"What do you mean Father?"

"Shh.. I've no time to explain child, all I have worked for will be lost if I do not move quickly. Now go! Prove to me you've learned all I have taught you, and give me the time I need. I know you can do it Setsuna, you were able to close the gates of time last I tested you, now it's through that same gate Fate travels from dimension to dimension, for that cave not only is a gate to time, but to space as well. It is how I found this dimension so long ago. It is the only other way than the wings of Valor to travel between dimensions. I should have known, I am old, I did not sense him enter this dimension, if only I had of known …"

"Yes Father…" She was not used to of him not explaining things when she asked. He almost always sat down and talked, and gave examples on how to do what ever she had misunderstandings about. To not have time to explain, she could tell he was worried.

"And Setsuna! Close the gates of time! Never let Fate through them again. Never let him leave this place! It is my last demand of you! Fail not in this or the ruin of everything will be upon all who live! One more battle… For sure this time it will be finished… forever…"

Setsuna raced out the door to look at the stars in the sky. She would make sure to spot any signatures of magic being given off. Her father raised her since she was three, teaching her the forbidden arts of messing with time. She was now thirteen and her brother in there, ten. She hoped he would be alright. Sure he picked on her, and had much of her teacher's attention, but that's what little brothers did, or that's what her teacher had told her. And she had to admit she would miss him if anything had happened to him. He wasn't her brother exactly, but her teacher picked him up when he was three, and she was only six, so they came to think of each other as a small family.

"There!" She watched the signature as it came closer, she took out her wand, given to her personally by Father Time. "For my teacher, the Father of Time! and for my brother! Arkand Mizumo! You won't come any further! Pluto Planet Power, Make up!" Swirls of magic surrounded her, and she was the guardian of time, Sailor Pluto!

"Daarrk Doomme CLOOOOOOOSSSEEE!" She channeled her power through that of the comet she stood on. It was the reason Father Time chose to live on it. The asteroid held a power of its own, being able to reach any part of the universe with the magic used by Father Time. Her magic was the same as his, and she used it as he would. The asteroid recognized the power and sent it to where it wanted go, faster than light it went. The gates would be closed before Fate could get back to it.

She fell down, exhausted by the strain of magic.

Then a man stood before her. Shirtless and in black pants, with his white hair flowing youthfully down to the middle of his back. He looked toward the light of the comet as it propelled the young girl's power to the other end of space from whence he came. His eyes were dark blue, and reminded her of the oceans of earth. He looked down upon her with a smile that bespoke only of gentle kindness. His body was that of a full grown man, a warrior, Father Time looked so brittle compared to him.

"Why do you fight us little girl?"

"I am not a little girl! I am Sailor Pluto! Heir to the Guardian of Time! Taught by Father Time himself!"

"My apologies." He bowed low, and chuckled to himself, "I did not know I was speaking to such an important one."

"You cannot enter! My teacher wishes no words with you!"

"We do not want to harm one of this dimension's residents. But Father Time is under suspect, we believe he is the old one that has committed many crimes, murderer of a thousand worlds over, and has fought us for our good will for all. Is the realm he created for himself?"

"You… You are Fate?"

"We are the Council of Fate. Yes my child, we control the power of destiny. It was a gift given to us to prevent what happened to our universe, to happen to any other."

"W… What happened?" 

"Man's hate of each other. His distrust, his failure to learn from disaster, it destroyed us all. My apologies child, I will discuss this more, when I have time." He went towards the door.

"No! You can't!" Setsuna struggled back to her feet, "Time Barrier!" and the door was covered in light, as Setsuna nearly fainted in her efforts to bar the way.

Fate looked closely at the light covering the door. "A simple time barrier. To cross through would be less than a second to me but an hour to anyone else. You are quite the little one, aren't you?"

A sudden wail of pain from inside took both of their attention. "Father!"

"Father? Here, let me help you up young one, go see if you can help him! Hopefully he hasn't done anything drastic at the sign of my coming." He helped Setsuna to her feet, she had forgotten all about keeping Fate out, he seemed nice, maybe her teacher was mistaken? But the only thing on her mind then wasn't the hands helping her up, it was the sound of her Fathers scream that came within their home. Quickly she dispersed the light in the doorway, than ran into the messy abode.

"So you are here Nightfall. This is your refuge? I hope it was pleasant. Enough dimensions have you sealed me from, I will not allow you to let chaos to roam freely! Do you here me?!" Fate was torrent with rage at the old man, "Now 

Father time stood shakily, drawing a golden trimmed, swiveled black bladed dagger from where it was sheathed in his own chest. It was drenched with his blood, from where he had stabbed himself.

"You fool me not Fate, the wings are what you seek, not vengeance, but the power I hold. You'll never have it to call your own. I curse you…" he gasped for air and steadied himself by the table where the young boy slept. "You'll not have my secrets… I will stop you."

"What are you doing? Trying to run away again? That dagger! Put it down! Nightfall!!!"

At that the old man took the dagger and stabbed it down into the chest of the boy. The boy woke up and screamed, he writhed with agony as the old man fell lifeless to the floor. The boy watched gasping for breath between the screams, he couldn't stop himself from screaming. No words were included until he seen the crying girl rushing over to him. She tried to pull out the dagger but it was slowly digging itself further into his chest. 

"SETSY!!" He screamed out and fell back against the bed repeating her name in screams of agony.

Setsuna cried as she continued to try to pull the dagger out of him. But it continued to sink in despite all of her efforts, her hands were now slippery from blood . To her surprise the man called Fate was at her side pulling with all the strength he had, trying to help her brother, but still it sank in.

"SETSY!! IT .."*Gasp* "IT HURTS!!" *Heave* "PLEASE!" *Gasp* STOP IT…!!"

"ARKAND!!" She cried out as the dagger sank further in, even up past the hilt. It continued to sink, drawing a great wind all around. She felt the strong arms of Fate wrap around her, holding her down as he braced himself against a wall. The room twisted and turned, and the boy sat up, large angel like wings sprung from his back.

"Arkand…" Setsuna looked on in awe. Her teacher had put the wings in him before he stabbed him. Why? Why was all this happening?

"The Wings… the Wings of Valor!" Fate spoke in awe himself, in voice of one who looks upon an angel, all the breath taken from his lungs.

Then quickly the wings shifted of their own accord, and a substance that could only be described as space itself. Enveloped her brother, she seen it before, it's what her teacher used to travel across the borders of dimensions.

"This is the magnitude of their power! Incredible!" Fate cried out.

Setsuna wasn't too concerned with the power though, she was, after all, surrounded by great amounts of it all her life.

"SEEEETSSSSSYYYY!!!" Her brother screeched, reaching out for her before disappearing completely in the void of space he was becoming part of. It was the last time she would ever see her adopted brother Arkand Mizumo, again. She hated it when he called her Setsy, but she would have done anything to hear him call her that, just once more as he ran happily through their little home. She lost her little family that night…

"SETSY!"

"Huh?" Setsuna was snapped out of her memories as Arkand ran into the room. It was a picturesque scene as Rini chased after him, trying to put her hand over his mouth, and holding a toy in her other hand. "Setsy, *mumble*" He licked the inside of Rini's hand as she tried to hold it over her mouth.

"Oooo, yuck!" Rini quickly wiped off her hand on the rug, while Arkand continued to speak.

"Setsy! Rini won't share!"

"Tattle tale! Unh!" she grunted as she binged Arkand off in the forehead with the toy.

"Ow… Setsyyyy!!" He pointed at Rini.

"Rini! Stop that, it's very important you learn to share!"

"But he already has one of them! I made it for him!"

"Arkand?" 

"It's PINK! I can't play with PINK toys!" He climbed up to whisper in her ear, "Everyone will think I'm a girl!" 

Setsuna couldn't help but laugh, as she set Arkand down. "Listen you two, I'm busy here. Why don't you two go play out doors, I'll come get you after I'm done."

"YAYYY!" They both ran out Rini saying that she'd race him, and Arkand tripping while trying to catch up.

Setsuna smiled softly. It was to her surprise when Fate came out of nowhere, and plopped her long lost adopted brother into her lap, and told her to teach him the secrets of time. In his transformation, as Night's Valor, Arkand had all the intelligence of a grown man, but when not transformed... he was no more then her brother of ten, from so long ago. Of course she wouldn't refuse. After her teacher died, she was taken in, raised, and taught by Fate. She still never understood what happened those many years ago. But lately, with the disruption of Fate's wheel, and the arrival of this Dimmer character, many questions she had of her own past were coming out. It had been taking Fate even longer to decide on what he could tell her. That made her suspicious, Father Time had always answered quickly. But than again, Father Time had stabbed her brother in the heart and sent him away, while it was Fate that brought him back to her, even if he didn't remember who she was, or their time together. 

"Fate warns me about distrust, but I'm so confused by all of this." She leaned back and sighed. Being the guardian of time, and usually so sure about everything she did, confusion was far from a welcome guest. And confusion for her meant ill news for everyone else.

Than out of the blue the voices reappeared in her mind, just like they always did.

"Guardian, we've come to a conclusion. It is our judgment you should know the truth to why we force this upon the one they call Dimmer.."

"Thank you for your trust wise Council…"

Sailor Moon says: 

"Oh wow! What an episode! Wait a darned minute here! The scouts didn't get any air time at all!"

"There are other people here then just you Serena." Luna protested quickly trying to calm down the girl before…

"Yeah Meatball Head! Learn how to share!" 

Luna sighed as Rei and Serena broke into another argument. "It is quite important to learn to share, and be considerate of other people's feelings, even if it isn't a trait of some of our most prominent scouts. It's more then just toys, but time, friendship, and many other important things that we have to learn to share."

"I couldn't agree more." Serena giggled as she stopped arguing with Rei, and picked up Luna.

"Yeah, you never know, a little bit of sharing can go a long way, and might even make a big difference in someone's life." Rei smiled while scruffing up Luna's fur.

"After all, Sailor Moon Says!" the three smile into the camera

Next time on: 

Sailor Moon

A Change in Fate: Dimmer Chronicles!

Fates one weakness?! 

The Fight begins!

Sailor Pluto vs Knight's Valor?!

Lita's lost love come back?

A wolf's life!

All this revealed in the next chapter: Clash of Titans! Part 1 of 3

See ya there!!!

Reality Check:

Mitchell unloosened the tie they put on him, and undid his top collar buttons. He really couldn't stand suits. He didn't feel anything like himself. He slipped off his over coat, and took a sip of the water beside him as he listened to the speaker up on the platform. The same one who had been speaking for the last fucking half an hour, while the weather threatened to turn him into little more then a friggin' puddle… He'd been waiting a bloody hour for them to get to their freakin point and they've yet to do so, and not for the first time he thought about goin up there, pushin' the blowhard outta the way, and just make the fuckin request for them.

The windbag went on about the repetitive junk they had already told everyone four or five times now, and had made headlines for the past week. About how the universe itself had a certain code it was made by. The genetic code, was a lot more then anybody ever thought it could be. It could be a source of power if taken the time to learn, it could alter the universe, and demonstrated the most complicated thing they had made yet, turning dirt into a different kind of dirt. Of course everyone else was stunned, but Mitchell had learned about it back when Jamie first told him. It was old news.

The real subject of this speech, was that they had, in fact, made some progress in an actual translation of the genetic code. This information was valuable, and the U.N. had agreed that it should be put under world security. There was so much security at Nasa now, that it was totally unfit. Hardly room for the scientist to do their work. There was no problems of it leaking out on to the net, there was a room full of top of the line computers connected together, but to no where else. No wiring was allowed in or out of this room. It had it's own generator, and everything. Besides being sound proof and closed in with blast doors. 

It had been nicknamed 'The clicking room.' Due to the fact that was the only sound you heard coming from inside. Some thought it was due to some wiring, or the generator inside, others thought it was due never ending clicking of computer boards from the inside. Only the architects that built the place could tell ya for certain and most had died of old age long ago. The room was meant for something else, and was converted to this later. In the end it didn't matter what people thought it was, though he himself went for the generator clicking theory, what mattered was what was inside couldn't get out by any means. And that was what concerned everyone. This room was undergoing some more renovations as they spoke, allowing for more workers, and more security measures. The reason? Nasa was about to request something no one was expecting.

There was only one type of person that would be able to crack the code, and they were well on their way to doing so, but cracking it was to be much different then actual use of it. They needed experts, people that could spend long tedious hours of clicking away at computers, correcting mistakes, trouble shooting, and just plain typing. They needed to be experts in the arts of piracy, and electronics, along with radio waves, phone lines and any other thing that could relate to computers. They had a few of their own, but they were all on security watch. It was a job they couldn't afford to outsiders, because a security leak could suddenly shift everything they'd ever known. 

Knowledge was power. It was an old wise saying, but it never held so much truth, when dealing with information that could alter reality without limitation. 

They needed help, more people to work on it, they just didn't have enough. But putting them on security would be out of the question, it would risk everything, but should they give them the knowledge that these people set out to find out freely, they could still control them, control who knows these things… It didn't have to be people they could trust, just someone they could control. If they were fortunate they'd find someone who was both. But the bastards couldn't just come out and say it could they? They had to re-explain everything before letting out the announcement… and Mitchell had enough…

Jamie sighed and shook his head as he watched a frustrated Mitchell suddenly stand up during the middle of the press conference and tap the current speaker on the shoulder.

He couldn't help but chuckle a little though, as Mitchell glared the old man down.

"Would ya just shut up?! Your like a continuous fart that just won't stop! Here, Let me get to the freakin' point that every fuckin' person here was waiting for you to come to!" The flash of cameras, and laughter from the crowd, and a couple of cheers, and scowls alike were what Mitchell turned to face as he looked at the audience… he paused for a second a quick case of butterflies in his stomach hit him as he stared directly into TV cameras that over half the world was listening to… he kinda wondered how they were going to translate what he just said…

Everyone waited as the crowd calmed down a little thinking he was waiting for silence before continuing. He swallowed then berated himself inside his head, he looked back up to the crowd and was about to say something, but the words weren't coming… He closed his eyes and visibly forced himself to calm down too… for the cameras it just looked more or less like he was calming himself away from one serious rant he was about to go on about.

He looked at the cameras again and realized the nervousness, hadn't gone away… aw fuck it…

"Let me try to summarize what this unnecessarily long speech is about. You all already know about all that shit that has to do with the genetic code eh? Well what we need is people that can help us put this stuff to use, and there is a specialized type of people we're looking for. So this entire broadcast goes out to all of you hackers that think you're the best, you got fame and fortune here and waitin' for ya, with anything ya ever done wiped off yer records, with only one prerequisite." At this Mtichell smirked, "can ya keep a secret?"

End Notes:

Hart -   actually no, not writer's block Hart, just a little vacation. The reality checks were really starting to get annoying to write during the editing stage, so I wrote them all up at once, but since they weren't as easy to write as the rest of the chapters believe it or not. This chapter is the introductory of probably the most goriest fight scene I'll ever do, and it last three chapters long!! Of course that means some pretty nasty cliffhangers… worried about how long it'll take? The editing is already done. There'll be a two week interval between each chapter (giving me to time to work ahead) give or take a day or two.

Hopefully it won't take so long eh? Sorry 'bout that…

Himitsu no hi – I never get tired of seeing your name repeat itself on my review board =D glad ya like Father Time, cause, as you may have noticed, he plays a rather large part. Thanks always for the encouragement!!

Author's Notes – Well everyone, I updated again. I'm gonna have to ask yas again to tell me if this fic is too violent for pg13, you'll see why in the up and coming chapters.

My apologies for taking so long to update, but the summer was full of good byes for me, and little time for anything else other than hanging with me friends. Despite college, my fic should be updated on a two week interval for the time being, but it may not last long due to huge amounts of projects. See yas all on the next update.

Please review?!!


	31. Clash of Titans

"Setsuna, Salior Pluto, Guardian of Time, There is a reason We have not told you this until now. We had to make sure you were trustworthy, you were raised by "him" after all. Time and time again you have proven faithful to us, so now we trust you with the secret extent of our power…"

"So this is why they've been so reluctant to tell about this." Setsuna thought to herself. She couldn't help but be touched about how much they trusted her. So much that they would even reveal Fate's weakness… it's only flaw in it's power… "Council… thank you for this honor…"

"We could not keep this secret ours forever Guardian. It is time you know. We cannot make fate over those whose worlds we have yet to visit. And always we must be in the world in order to make the cycles or make changes to the cycles of fates that we create. Dimmer is from a world we have not visited and therefore is outside the realm of our power. But even worse, is that person's ability to distort our cycles. You have seen the cycles broken once before already by our young Valor, certainly, though you wonder why Fate allowed such a thing to occur? Do you remember of what we speak?"

"Yes, Council. I believe it was my doing. I had no time to raise Night's Valor, as a normal parent, to gain the amount of experience you requested him to have. He had to grow up many times over to learn all he needed to know. Using the cave you first arrived from, I sent Valor into the other dimensions, so he could learn all he needed to learn.... It was the only time I've ever used the cave… I had him adopted by a family in one of the dimensions you've already controlled. That way I knew he was safe. Each time he'd come back, I'd send him away to a different family. What took a little more than two years in our time, took age upon age to him. It allowed him to grow up and learn how to control his powers as well as he has, even if it is not to the true extent of what his power could be. Than the 'event' you speak of occurred…" 

Setsuna looked up, staring past the ceiling of the large room she dwelled in, into a time long past to most but not so long to the ageless ones like her Fate and Valor... She thought back not needing the power of time she had learned to see with, she didn't need it to remember this, the memory came to her all too clearly…

Sometimes she only wished she could forget…

"Hey guys! I think he's coming around!" Lita shouted as she watched Darien blink, and slowly raise his head. He didn't have time even to look around until he was jumped by a blonde blur that he was positive wasn't in the room a moment ago.

"Darien! Darien, are you okay? You were cut and bruised almost everywhere. Where have you been? Oh Darien, please say you're alright…"

"N...n.. no …time." He managed to mutter around the blonde's bear hug.

"Serena, you have to let go of him. Let him tell us what he needs to tell us than you can hug him all you want after okay?" Mina smiled as she leaned down to talk to her overly emotional friend.

"Yeah Meatball head! Give him room to breathe, he just woke up!" 

Serena stuck her tongue out at Rei, but she did slowly let go. He 'was' just recovering after all.

"No time for this." Darien managed to grunt out, before trying to prop himself up against the wall. Serena helped him up worriedly. 

"Don't push yourself okay?" 

He smiled a little at her. She had no idea of what news he had yet to bring to them. He knew he would be up and fighting once more after this night fell. The wolf would sleep this day… wait the window… was that the sun setting or rising?

"How long? How long have I been out?"

"We found you exhausted outside the window last night." Amy tried to inform him helpfully, "You've been asleep from exhaustion almost all day. It's going to be evening soon."

"Evening? The next day?" that left little time to prepare! The wolf was more than likely no more than an hour away and would be getting up soon… He checked his physical condition, as he had gotten in the habit of doing the while alone in the woods not too far away from that creature. He always needed to know with a certainty how far he could take himself that day. Tonight he'd have to go all out. He found himself to be shirtless and his chest, and arms were wrapped in bandages. He imagined under the blanket his legs were in the same condition. His wounds were clean and the several layers of dirt and mud that had covered his body had been washed away. Everything seemed quite professionally done. He looked up at them questioningly. Even more than that, most of his major injuries no longer hurt.

Rei seemed to catch on quicker than the others. "Talenite healed you as well as he could. He's asleep in the other room recuperating from it. We got grandfather to clean you up and him and Serena helped dress the rest of your wounds."

He looked at Serena, and she looked away a little embarrassed. 

"Thank you. But I can't rest yet. I came back for your help, and we don't have much time left."

"Came back from where? What do you need our help with? There hasn't been another Negaverse attack since the last one…" Luna slipped around Amy's legs so Darien could actually see who was talking.

"Not the Negaverse. The werewolf, I've been luring him away from going back to the city for the past two weeks. But yesterday, he ignored everything I did, and made his way back. He'll be getting up in about an hour. He's hungry, he'll feed on the first thing he can. More likely than not, it'll be human. Let's just hope it isn't too late and he doesn't know what a car is yet. There will be bound to be hundreds still on the highways…"

"The werewolf? Dimmer? You've been keeping him busy?" Amy looked at him wide eyed, "but how?"

"No time to explain. We have to go, and we have to go now!"

"Correct." Talenite, chose that time to walk into the room. "He will be starving now, his energy reserves will be weak, you must strike now if you wish to save him, he must not be allowed to feed. All of Darien's efforts to stall him out in the woods will be in vain. We must go, and we must go now, and we must hope that we can survive."

"We, Talenite? Does this mean you're coming too?"

"This time, yes. Without Dimmer all hopes to my people are gone."

Amy looked at him questioningly. "Wait a minute…what.. your people?" she thought to herself. "Talenite, just why 'are' you helping us anyway?" 

None of the others seemed to notice his words, and badgered Darien with questions of how he survived, and where they could find Dimmer. She decided to let it go for now. She would file it away for later though.

"He'll be coming in to town through the most direct path possible." Darien answered with a good degree of certainty.

"Than I can track him with his power level. There's nothing that even comes close to matching his around here."

"Great idea Amy. You girls go check it out. I'll get on the phone with Greg, and tell the police the situation." Luna ran out of the room.

"I'm going too." Darien stood up, shrugging off the blanket.

"But Darien, you're hurt, it's too dangerous." Serena waved her arms frantically. 

"She's right." Rei stated, "You've kept him busy for us, and stalled him all his time, that's more than any of us could have done, and after seeing Dimmer's speed when he's like that… I don't even know how you survived this long."

"She's right Darien, you've done enough. Let us take care of this." Amy smiled at him.

"I can and will fight. You don't understand…" His voice grew cold and serious, there was something in his eyes that wasn't there a second ago "I know this creature, I've looked into its eyes, and seen its hunger." He shuddered at the memories before continuing, "I've studied everything about it for the last two weeks. I watched it, fought with it. I know how it thinks, and how it reacts to things. I know all of its strengths and what pathetically few weaknesses it has compared to them."

He walked quickly up to Mina, "At first, it was curious, it, even then, was frightening to us all. But now it knows only it's hunger, and it would tear out your throat without thought, without mercy. You can't make a mistake, if you BLINK at the wrong time, you've killed yourself and us all soon after."

He was inches away from her before he tore his sharp, piercing gaze away from hers, and brought it towards Lita, who still looked unperturbed. Unlike the others she had trained non-stop for the last two weeks using Dimmer's ideas, and training patterns. She knew where she stood compared Serena and Rei during their training matches, and now, she surpassed them both. 

Darien continued, "And even if your form is perfect, and you do everything right, and even manage to tag the creature with a couple blows…" Darien continued in the same voice, and it was starting to put an atmosphere of fear into the room, he wasn't speaking to give advice, or let them know what they were going up against. He was speaking from the memories of his last two hellish weeks of dealing with this creature of legends. His eyes were icy, and held the look of the hunted, as he turned face to face with Amy.

"You will still be overwhelmed, its power can shrug off your strikes as if you were doing nothing more than throwing pebbles at it. But it won't, just to make sure that it survives, it's instinct will kick in, it's speed as most of you have seen, is god-like. It will stop your strikes and start striking with more power. It will be intimidated by the numbers and fight even harder than it fought with me. Like a rabid wolf backed up into a corner, it won't think, it will just act! So even you, Rei and Amy, will be at risk."

"NO!" Amy slapped him hard, closing her eyes trying to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes. "DIMMER WOULDN'T!" Despite the strength behind the slap Darien's face didn't budge an inch, she wondered if she just hit stone…

"Are you so sure? You don't know this creature like I do." Darien looked down, he hadn't even felt the slap, but his voice had gone back to its own tone after it impacted. He shouldn't have let himself get so worked up, this wouldn't help, it would only make them fear it more…

"Stop it! Stop it now!" Amy opened her eyes letting the tears stream down openly, "Stop calling my Dimmer a creature! He wouldn't do those awful things!… I know he wouldn't, I just know it."

There was an eerie silence in the room before Serena broke it.

"Amy's right. It's just like before, when Chad found out about his past. He could never do such an awful thing, we just got to have faith in him." It seemed set in stone the way she said it.

"All the same, it wouldn't be intelligent not have every advantage we can use. I've healed Darien well enough to fight, and as Tuxedo Mask, he'll feel much stronger. He knows the way he thinks. Whether friend or foe, such an advantage cannot be overlooked. I doubt he will remain behind even if you tell him no anyway. He is Dimmer's student after all." Talenite reminded them with a smile.

An almost indiscernible nod from Darien showed his thanks. There was no way he'd be left behind.

Serena was trying to comfort Amy while Rei thought about this, her gaze set upon the unsettled Darien. He'd been through a lot in the last couple of weeks, it's only natural he wouldn't be able to see Dimmer any more. His knowledge would be useful, and he would follow them, there was no way Tuxedo Mask was going to let Sailor Moon go to a fight without helping. Rei smiled, he really was Dimmer's student. 

"Talenite is right. Darien, you can come if you like. Tell us what we're going to need to know."

Darien and the rest all looked towards Rei, then they all looked to Darien who simply nodded. "On the way. We don't have much time. Go out and transform I'll transform here." 

"Right!" They all responded at once before taking off outside.

Luna heard it all from the hall way from where she had just gotten off the phone with Greg. She watched the girls run by and the light show that came from the doorway of the room Darien was in while being taken care of. She stopped him as he went to rush out to join the girls. "Tuxedo Mask?"

He stopped to look down at her.

"Was Artemis with you? Have you seen him since that night?"

"No, I didn't realize he was missing. He was in one of the compartments of Chad's bike, he's been going in that since you two had that fight of yours." He knelt down. "Don't underestimate him Luna. He's alive if that's what you're worried about. You can be sure of that." 

"He was in the bike… that's so like him." Luna sighed. 

"He's okay Luna. Just remember that. Will you need a lift?"

"No Darien, I'll remain here. I would be a quick snack to Dimmer right now. I'll be on the radio with Greg to keep track of all of you."

Tuxedo Mask nodded. There was more risk of her dying than helping against the crea… no Di… no, they were wrong. He was certain of that, not until after tonight. Right now Dimmer was still that creature. He had to protect them, had to protect her… he ran out to meet the Sailor Scouts all standing around. Their air was tense. Many of their friends were taken from them that night a couple of weeks ago, tonight, they would see to getting back one of them. Tuxedo Mask gauged himself. He was still tired, his wounds were all still tense, and it hurt to put too much strain on him. It was nothing. He'd dealt with much worse, but he had a feeling he might be in much worse shape by the end of the night…

"Weak…" he thought as he once again made a stumbled landing from the large leap he'd made. Too many times, the prey had been in his grasp too many times, and he didn't realize what it was doing, and now he had used too much energy. He howled in pain, as he felt himself crumble to the ground, the large hunger pains ran their way through his stomach. He might change back soon at this rate. He slowly got back to his feet. It had been only two weeks and already his other form was coming back. 

He growled in frustration. The blinking lights of the human's homes stood not more than a mile away. It wouldn't be long after that. He would feed on the first one of them he saw, than find the site where he had buried his demon meal from before. He couldn't let his time here end so quick… there was still so much to do… so much to protect… he would not disappoint his mate, he would keep his promise.

Setsuna continued to recount what she knew of the 'second' time the cycle of fate was broken in this world.

"Night's Valor learned to soar with his wings and started to explore the different dimensions on his own, no longer in need of the cave. Then he came to the past of this world. There he met "her". "

"Rei Hino." She sighed the name, and wondered if anybody had ever caused so much trouble to the timelines as this one. She was responsible for Dimmer, for it every time the cycle was broken…  

"Many of the adventures they had together were simply him making jokes at what they did, never helping other than when he knew it wouldn't interfere with their destiny. Silly things, like back floating by on thin air and making a few jibes at them, turn invisible and frustrating them so much they'd yell at him and embarrass themselves, pulling pranks as he had always done, and generally making life as fun as he could. Always he obeyed the one rule we put to him."

"Never to interfere."

"Yet something about her drew him near, and the same went for her. And when he found out she was meant to die…"

*Flashback*

"No." The tall man in dark blue and black armor stood facing against her. They stared long and hard before she decided to answer.

"Valor, it is not our decision." She knew what was coming, she had seen it, and she was warned of it. She had some hope though that it wasn't true, that Fate would steer him away from it. She didn't know then that Fate held no power over this man, he was from a different world… he was capable of undoing everything Fate had worked for. If only she had of known, she would never have let this happen…

"I don't care. I won't let you harm her." The stone cold voice didn't fit the face she was used to seeing in him. His usual playful smile replaced by this glare. She realized now why enemies from so many dimensions had feared him. His every gesture spoke of unbelievable power. Some of it the powers that only "he" himself could use or had even any knowledge of. 

"You don't realize what will happen do you?! If Fate's cycles are broken everything will lead to disaster."

"So you must do this? This will be your only response? To follow the council blindly? You are the closest thing I have to a family in this world, and the only one I could ever talk to about power and understand. Still you will not help me, still you do not see…"

"Not me. She is fated to die by one of the doom and gloom girls. If she doesn't…"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!! WHAT DID YOU THINK?! I'D STAND BACK AND WATCH?! I LOVE HER SETSY!" He stood there seething, he was like a child that didn't get what he wanted with too much power at his disposal. 

"Valor… no… I warned you about getting involved…" He had said it. He finally admitted to loving her, and she knew it would scar him for life. But in some ways no matter how many times he grew up, and how many lifetimes he lived he was still very spoiled. With his amount of power he always ended up getting what he wanted...It had to be done, he had to be shown the consequences of his actions.

"There's nothing you can do. I've made my choice step out of the way. I don't want to hurt you…"

"…" 

A threat?! He would dare threaten her?! Her eyes never wavered from his, her stare suddenly becoming very icy. She was not the usual foe he duked it out with in some backwater dimension Fate had yet to visit. She had let him get away with calling her Setsuna while in her Sailor fuku out of respect and love. He still did not know of his true origins, he had no idea he was her adopted brother. It was time to remind him who she was, and who she was taught by!

She saw a strange look cross over his features as she felt her self grow with cold, calm fury.

"Arkand Mizumo! Night's Valor! My "name" is Setsuna! And in the name of time! I am Sailor Pluto! Guardian of time! You dare to risk my universe for nothing more than your selfish desire? I will not help you. It's time you learned just exactly who I am!"

He took a step back and shook his head, she knew he was expecting her to give in, that she'd realize how much he wanted this, but no matter who he was, she couldn't allow him to put the future of her universe into danger.

"Setsy…" He spoke in a small sad voice. His eyes narrowed. "No… I think I see now, always, your duty is first… Sailor Pluto then… I'm sorry it had to come to this. I cannot sit and watch as Rei and the rest of my friends' die. I had hoped that there was a way you could talk the Council out of this, but there is not a peaceful solution. I'm sorry…"

He held his hand out, "Artemis, lend me your power!!" A large sword struck down to his hand in the shape of a bolt of lightning, it's pure white energy pouring all around him, before finally forming it to the will of his mind. The sword of Valor, Artemis, had been summoned.

"I am the blood you taste as you draw your last breath.

I am the face you see as you gaze upon death!

In the name of space, I am its power!

I am The Night's Valor!"

"Than let us begin…" Setsuna narrowed her own eyes in return.

"Dead Scream!" Her attack flew through wreaking havoc in the small space between them.

"Super Nova!" And his collided with hers covering the surrounding area with a massive, blinding light.

*End Flashback* 

"The battle was enough to rock the heavens, he wasn't as strong then as he has become now. Even so, it was too close, in the end, I had won, but the battle ended up serving no purpose. He managed to use his wings to return back to the scouts world. There they had healed him, and he had told them their fates. The scouts didn't die, Serena never learned to control the scepter right. Valor hoped he was powerful enough to balance out the loss of its power. He joined their fight against Beryl, yet he couldn't protect them, he couldn't protect her. He defeated Beryl in a surge of power never seen before since the legends of the Father Time himself. You felt pity on him, didn't you Council?"

"Yes Setsuna, no one should ever have to lose all they hold dear. This is my purpose, and the reason I exist, so that no one will ever have to experience that again. To see him like that… It is my purpose to see that good things happen to those who are good, and other than that situation, Valor has always been loyal to me. So then I had come to you to ask a favor."

"Yes, My Fate. You asked me to forgive him, and teach him the ways of time. You told me that you could repair what he had done, reset the cycle, allow the girls to live, but to do so, you needed the power of space to help stop this kind of thing from happening in other dimensions. His fight with Beryl taught him much about his unknown power, though not near as much as there is to be known. Still, even then he had become the best source of knowledge on the subject, and he still is though he doesn't practice too much other than what you have him do."

"Yes but he learns much from the tasks I give him, more than you realize I'm certain. You taught him a small technique of reading one's time line, and he combined it with his own powers to be able to erase their memories. He agreed to do so."

"He did, almost immediately, he didn't care if he couldn't have Rei back as long as she lived. He said good bye to them all, and never seen them again. He knows everything Dimmer was to Rei before he got his memory back, because all of the same events happened to him… All the jokes, funny stunts, the love… the promises… he seems to have forgotten most of it over the long years he's continued to live but what does all this have to do with this trigger you've used in Dimmer?"

"Yes My Queen I spotted the pest, and followed him there. Luckily I caught him before he did any permanent harm." Zoicite was bowed low before Queen Beryl, who was molding an energy ball in her hands with a bored look.

"You mean before you 'saw' him. You have yet to 'catch' him." The voice came from behind Zoicite, A dark figure in a trenchcoat. 

Zoicite turned around to stare at the figure in stunned silence. The brown haired young man had his hair wrapped up into a clean ponytail, a pair of black sunglasses hung at the tip of his nose as his eyes stared laughingly at her over them. Beryl smiled and stood up to greet him. "Zoicite, Malachite? I believe you have met master Yuuichiro?

Malachite, who stood at a different entrance to the room, watched the newcomer closely in silence, until Beryl mentioned his name. "Yuuichiro? I would never have guessed."

"Of course you wouldn't have. His family was famous for spying and underworld techniques even during the golden era. It was they who were responsible for any type of organized crime, if you could tell who they were just by looking at them, they wouldn't be able to do their job so effectively. It was said that they were the ones who had snuck Prince Darien to the moon for his rendezvous with the princess during the times Earth was under suspect." Beryl laughed.

Malachite looked at the newcomer with a different view now. To get passed the moon's security was far from an easy task, for anyone. This one Beryl had picked up would suit their cause well, it's no doubt that the Yuuichiro family would be even more suited to a place like the earth the Negaverse had seen so far. They would excel on the people's ignorance and greed.

"A spy? But my Queen? We have hundreds of these, youmas that are only bred for just that! Why waste so much energy on him?"

As Zoicite spoke the man bent to kiss Beryl's extended hand, Beryl had taken an immediate liking to this one. His family's reputation was one that was well respected for their power in ages before since any could remember. They were hated but they were respected. It reminded her so much of herself, and Beryl did love anything that reminded her of herself. Further more he was quite charming, humorous, and had a rough physique and features, that were far from unpleasant to look at. But more than that, was the hint of power that spoke of something more, hidden under the surface.

Zoicite was about to say more before she was interrupted. It was just a quick movement the man had made, but the black, smoking, charred hole in the rock beside her head that smelt of dark energy, had her click her mouth shut.

"Whatsa matter Zoice? Cat got yer tongue?" He smiled and looked to her direction.

"Yes, Zoicite, maybe you should go route out that feline that you have seemed to let go. For all of our spies you've mentioned, they still managed to sneak one into our midst."

"Uh… oh uh, yes my Queen. Immediately."

Zoicite teleported away to her chambers.

"Malachite, I want you to take the young master Yuuichiro on his first mission. You will have no other troops, just introduce him to the scouts.

Zoicite slammed her fist into the wall. 

"Dammit! Made mockery by nothing more than a pathetic human, and even worse nothing less than a cat!" She brought her hand up to her forehead. Now she would have to search out every nook and cranny of these caves for the same stupid cat while Malachite and that pathetic excuse for Negaverse fodder go out to control the troops against the scouts. 

"And worse…" She remembered the smell of dark energy, it was just a trace, but there was something different from it and her own. "He might just show me up… This won't do. This won't do at all…"

Greg sat at the communications board in the police station, his arm had lost its cast a week ago, and because of the lull in attacks, he had started going back to school again. But still he spent most of his afternoon time here. He had gotten to know most of the police and he had earned many of their respect as he started to master the communications band. He was talking with a couple of the guys when his cell rang. A sense of urgency welled up within him. He knew that feeling all too well now, he'd been using it more and more lately, and had been getting better at predicting things. But now as he looked down at his phone he felt it. There was something that would happen tonight… a turning point, and soon choices were going to be given. But for now…

"Hi Luna," He talked into his phone. When he first picked up he had no idea who it would be, but now his power was often kicking in spontaneously. 

"Greg, we have trouble. Dimmer is coming back to the city, tonight! We need to keep everyone out of the way of his nose. Try to see about evacuating the streets, and pinpointing the place he's coming in from, it will be from the direction of Mount Fuji."

"No problem, anything else?"

"Yes, I'd like to be kept posted."

"Alright Luna, I'm gonna start calling through the boards, I'll call again when everything is set up, we'll do our best to empty that part of the city's streets first than work to the others" he flipped his phone close, and spoke into one the radios.

"John? We need evacuation of the city streets five minutes ago. "Project light's out" is back into operation. We just need the streets emptied this time, I've got a bit of an idea to help the scouts out. But I'm gonna need access to the city's main computer systems. Tonight's the night. I have a feeling that they're going to get him back, and it'll take everything they have."

"Sure thing Telepath. I'll get my boys on to clear the streets and I'll see to those politicians about the city's systems. Personally."

"How's Pidge doing John?" Greg sighed. John hadn't taken another partner, and he's been irritable to everyone. He was full of vengeance on the bastards who shot his partner, and no one doubted that he'd be the same man he was until he seen the bitch get justice.

"He's pissed. Wouldn't you be if you just found out you'd be spending the rest of your life in a wheel chair? He's taking some physical therapy, but they don't expect it to work."

"Sorry, to hear it. Let's get this done. Maybe we can all sit afterward and have a coffee. Who knows, Dimmer might be in that empty seat next to us… just like before."

"Best few weeks of my life Telepath. I'll see you than."

They both hung up, and Greg started on getting his systems ready for what he was planning.

"Ken! Breaking story on the scouts! Out near the borders." The shout of Ken's boss came across the room. "We just got it called in over the police scanners."

"Yes sir! Consider me there." Ken picked up a half-eaten sandwich threw it in his mouth, grabbed his camera and took off into the streets. As soon as he stepped out the sandwich fell to the ground, as his jaw fell open at the site of squad cars lighting up the streets. There wasn't going to be a car that could get through. He smiled, he'd have no problem finding where the scouts were, the police cars would lead him straight to the danger area. Just where the best shots could be gotten. He hopped on his bicycle...

The scouts were lined up on top of one of the tallest buildings bordering the city of Tokyo. They looked out over the dark forest as the sun slowly set behind it. Their shadows had grown tremendously long, the moment seemed captured in time as the seven figures stood watching, waiting for an enemy, waiting for a fight for their lives, waiting for some sort of sign to attack, or a hint of the slaughter to come, waiting… for a friend.

Tuxedo Mask felt a chill go up his spine. It was a familiar one, one that shook through him every time he felt its presence, then a movement of shadow.

"Ready yourselves Scouts." Talenite's eyes flashed.

Suddenly a loud howl echoed throughout the forest, making a large numbers of birds take flight all over the place. The howl echoed through the recently emptied street sending shivers down the spine of a young photojournalist, who hid behind one of the cars taking a few silhouetted pictures of the scouts.

"There." Tuxedo Mask's eyes flashed underneath the white mask.

The scouts squinted trying to see what the other two had already noticed.

"There, to the left!" Sailor Jupiter shouted.

Sure enough, there sat the wolf, it's white fur contrasting with the shadowy trees, giving it away. It stared up at them, before it looked away and bounded away into the city.

"After him!" Jupiter called out before jumping away. The scouts and Tuxedo Mask jumped away not a second behind her.

"So it begins." Talenite watched them off for a few seconds before jumping after them.

The wolf looked up at the figures on the buildings. They hadn't noticed him yet. They were the ones he met the first time. He could recognize their scent from here. And its prey was amidst them. But there was no time to hunt for ones as powerful as him, he needed strength back, he had been in agony of hunger pains for the past half of a week, and he had put this off for far too long. He needed to feed…

They turned to look his way. He had been noticed. He would have to move quickly.

He turned along the human settlements, the scent of them were everywhere, he even heard a few, but there was none in sight. He felt his mouth start to water, he could almost taste them. He started following his nose, concentrating on the largest combined scent of them. He looked at the small brick building, he could hear his prey surprised yells. They must have knew he was coming, they had been organized and fled into their homes. It wouldn't save them. He scratched along the walls running his large claws along them, looking for some kind of weak spot in the stone. He felt his stomach eat in at itself, not long... he needed to feed or he wouldn't be able to keep up this for even a short while. Suddenly a wooden part to the building made itself known to his claws as they ripped into them. If he could grin he would have, he had found the entrance.

"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH"

He roared as the magic surged through him, not so much at the pain, but at the fact it had been caught unaware.

"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

This time he simply dodged the attack with a heavy back flip. His feet landed and dug their claws straight into the pavement, he stared up at the green and red trimmed ones. They stood on the roof as if mocking him. He barked a couple times at her, trying to warn her away. He didn't sort out his feeling for those ones yet, and had much worse worries on his mind. He had a feeling his efforts would be futile so he dodged down an alley. If a fight occurred there was a chance of him losing, he was too weak.

"Arr…" He made a slight wimper as the hunger pains rang through him once more, bringing him to his knees this time.

The scouts jumped along the buildings keeping a close eye on him, they reacted when he found the entrance to that family's house, but there was no other reason yet to strike, his intentions had to be made certain.

"What's wrong with him Mercury? Why didn't he attack? He shrugged off Jupiter's lightning and was brought down to his knees while he tried to run away? It doesn't make any sense."

"It makes perfect sense Mars." Mercury spoke stoically, "He's starving, he must have a much faster metabolism than a human, what I don't understand is why he runs away, he shouldn't be scared of us."

"He isn't, it's the chance we might defeat him. He knows us, and has gauged our power. There is a chance he can lose at this point. He's looking for easy pickings, we're not on his menu today." Tuxedo Mask narrowed his eyes.

"Tuxedo Mask is correct I believe. We cannot waste anymore time. Who knows when he finds what he's looking for." Talenite never took his eyes off Dimmer as he spoke.

"Right. Let's do this tha… OH MY GOD! KEN!!" Jupiter was gone in a flash. The others had just noticed what she had seen. There was a young man hiding behind one of the abandoned cars taking pictures as the wolf started to close in on him.

"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!!" Once more the voice rang out.

Startled the wolf was caught unaware once again, but this time there was a meal in front of him, he ignored the oncoming blast and pounced at the boy hiding behind the car. The boy stood frozen in fear, as the large humanoid wolf landed on top of the vehicle with a large smash, shattering every window inside and crushing the roof in. Ken fell over from the impact. After being forced to move he snapped out of his frozen state and did his best to scramble away.

His best wasn't near enough, but Jupiter's certainly was. She came on like an eighteen wheeler at top speed going down hill. The firecracker of magic she shot off was just a warning shot of what she could do with her fists. She slammed into the mighty wolf's back with an uppercut straight out of superman's repertoire of moves that tore what was left of the car apart, not to mention a good chunk out of the street.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT HURTING HIM!!"

Her roundhouse was caught by his overly large claw and he was about twist her ankle to send her flying, but she only used the twist to put more inertia into her other foot which came up for a powerful spin kick straight to it's nose. He felt his head jerk to an odd angle, and whimpered. This one had strength. He slowly turned his head back toward her hearing a snap from the base of his neck, a wolfish grin still plastered on his face. 

She suddenly realized just what she got herself into, she was sure the kick she had just delivered could derail a freight train, but all it did was slowly turn it's head back to face her, it gave its head that little shake as if something had just irritated it's nose that dogs do. And than she realized it still had a hold of her other ankle. It was a third of a second before Tuxedo Mask was there. The wolf dropped her ankle as it started to trade blows with its ultimate prey, the one it had been tracking for weeks. 

The wolf perked its ears up in the middle of the melee, and both him and Tuxedo Mask jumped out of the way just as a barrage of bubbles, fire and light blew a new good sized hole in the streets behind him. In moments all the scouts were there except Jupiter, blocking the blows the wolf would go for and delivering tens of their own. They worked together, as only a well-trained team that had been working together for years could.

They fought as Dimmer and Chad once fought together, as a team rebounding off buildings, distracting it, while another came in for a heavy strike. 

Lita didn't have much time, She hefted a surprised Ken into her arms and jumped on top of a low building. She continued to run as fast as she could, she had to get far enough away, so Dimmer wouldn't be able to track them and find Ken.

"Ken?! What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be in a shelter! Hell! you're supposed to be in America!"

In response he simply looked up at her with a questioning look.

"How did you know my name?" 

Jupiter stopped cold, a large sweatdrop appearing on her head. She had completely forgot about being Sailor Jupiter for the moment. She had only concentrated on running. 

"Uuh… lucky guess?" She set him down.

"Mm hmm, and knowing about me in America was a lucky guess too?"

"Ummm it's part of our powers! Yeah that's it! We know all kinds of stuff about the people we rescue."

He stared at her, his gaze obviously far from the believing kind.

"It's true! Ask me anything." She was certain she knew everything there was to know about him, she had to convince him that she had that power! If not he'd know who she was!

He thought for a second, "Okay, why did I go to America?"

"Work experience as an apprentice to a famous journalist over there."

"My favorite number?"

"6"

"My middle name?"

"Ryoji"

This was going nowhere, she was obviously lying. After all if they knew so much about the people they rescued than why didn't she know why he was not in a shelter or America? This whole situation smelled more than a little fishy to him. Who was she and how did she know him? Fine there was one question he could ask that would force her to admit defeat.

"What's my favorite food?"

"Brownies" Sailor Jupiter clenched her eyes shut. She made them for him a not long before he left, and he said they were the best thing he ever tasted. She hoped he wasn't lying about that. She opened one eye warily. He was standing there with his jaw hung open. "Guess I was right" she thought hopefully.

"Do you believe me yet? Have to get back there to help my friends!"

"Alright… I believe you." It was his only reply before she jumped away toward the place they had just fled. 

"I believe you Lita…" He watched her go sullenly. There was only one person on this planet that knew the answer to his trick question, and she spit it out without realizing it. He wondered how she was doing since he came here, but he didn't have the time to check in on her. Partly because he was scared she had gotten into another relationship. He had played her best friend for years and wanted so much more than that, he was always there for her every time he could be. But she never had seen him as more than a great friend. It had hurt him so much to see her get herself hurt with all these obvious jerks, how she gave them all the chancs she would never give him. It hurt so much to watch that he had to leave. They had a picnic together before he left and they had a wonderful time. She had made him an American treat in honor of his trip to America. It wasn't the brownies he loved that picnic, it was her. Still even then she didn't see it. He just couldn't take being her best friend again when he came back, so he put off letting her know he was back as long as possible. Now seeing her again, he realized it hurt just as much to be away from her…

"Way to go Ken, you've managed to put yourself right back in the same position you were in before you left…"

He started to climb down the building, he still had a job to do, and he was going to cover this story. No matter what…

Fate answered slowly, cautiously as always.

"We've found this trigger, it is an old disease he cannot help but give into. We are not sure how he contracted this curse, but it gives us a way to etch into his mind what must be done. He is not of this world, and so We cannot control his fate, but We can somewhat control the fates of those around him, if he hasn't distorted their fates too much. We must make sure he sees reason, we must make sure he knows that he must be on our side. He had doubts because of the same reason Valor once fought against the guardian of time. His love for Rei, might doom him to the same fate as Valor, the loss of everything he knows… His advice on what Dimmer would do has been excellent. Dimmer lay in a world without magic, and so never knew, never even had the chance of knowing of this curse. It was an advantage we're forced to use. By doing so, we will send him a simple message that to stay with us means certain victory, but to go against could mean victory with a very heavy price."

"I'm not sure what you hope to achieve by doing this, certainly the scouts have enough troubles defeating the Negaverse without this?"

"It is true we take a chance with him, but not with the scouts. We have contacted you now, so you can help prevent any further damage done to them or the people around them."

"And how's that?"

"Send Valor. None will be harmed if he helps defeat the wolf, there is no doubting he is much stronger than it."

"Yes, I see. I will do as you ask."

Setsuna got up to leave. It was obvious the conversation was over. What they were doing left a sour taste in her mouth, but there was little choice, he DID have to be persuaded to give up Rei. She supposed this would do it if anything would….

She walked out to the back where Rini and Arkand were playing. She smiled quietly watching the two throw the Luna ball around. He had really taken a liking to that thing. She sighed before putting on her mask of duty. 

"Arkand. Please come here. I need to speak with you."

*shot of Rini bouncing the Luna ball, a little lonely, as she watched the lights from inside the house*

The wolf howled, as it finally managed to grab onto one of the white blurs that kept trying to dodge around his vision. They had managed to get his food away from him and that surprising blow to the nose had done something to his sense of smell.

Venus looked up in surprise as her hair was yanked back and her head along with it. She never had a chance to avoid the impact. They hadn't trained in weeks and they were about to be hit hard for it. All the scouts stopped suddenly and the world seemed to slow for Mina. She saw the asphalt coming up to meet her as the wolf matched her speed, caught her by the hair, and swung her face first to meet the road. She hoped the others would be able to get by without her. She heard rather than felt the crunch of her impact.

The scouts stood sullen and still as they looked on at the scene. It had happened so fast, there was a crater in the spot where Venus face was now buried. You couldn't actually see her head, it was below ground, even the blood that traced around the crater her head was in wasn't how they could tell she was out of the battle. It was her still body just lying there, not even struggling against the creature, that still had her hair in it's clutches. It was clear to them all now Tuxedo Mask was right. This wasn't Dimmer, just a shadow of some part of him. This was a nightmare creature that had lurked inside of him that even he didn't know about. They looked on at Mina's form lying on the road, so silent, so still… It had happened so fast… She never even had time to scream…

Tuxedo Mask only paused for a second, than quickly jumped back into the attack. They couldn't waste anytime, if the wolf made a meal of her, it would be the end of not only her, but the rest of them as well. "Back to action girls, we can't let it recover!"

"Right!" They all ran back at the wolf, but it was no longer anywhere as easy as it was. Jupiter, their heavy hitter, still wasn't back, and with Venus down, their numbers were dwindling quickly.

The wolf continued to swing at the girls, and dodge any of their magic attacks that they would try to get off, Tuxedo Mask was trying to keep it pinned, but it's enormous amount of strength stopped any real hope of that tactic working. 

"Dammit! One more time…" Tuxedo Mask jumped back into the fray. He poured on his speed. Than suddenly it stood stock still, than shrieked again with the pain from its hunger. He thanked his luck and brought an opened palm strike to its midsection, it doubled over from the force of the blow, but it seemed to make no notice of the pain. He put in three more punches before giving it a swift spin kick, out of no where Jupiter had rejoined the fight, and delivered a flying kick of her own, knocking it high in the air, Mercury brought a flying uppercut to the midst of it, and Sailor Moon came down hard with a drill kick right into a newly created crater in the street, before back flipping a safe distance away to stand with everyone else. The wolf hadn't come back out. Maybe that last hunger pain had done it in? They had to make sure. 

So they were the human's guardians. He felt a kinship toward them, maybe it was respect for their duties. He was nature's guardian, her first one, and now, her last. He remembered her, a time long forgotten by all else, a time when he had a mate…

He lied there in the rubble of the road, his tongue half hanging out, once again blood was staining his white fur red. As he continued to lie there, he reminisced, remembered. He remembered the crystal blue waterfalls, the crisp green trees, the smell of sap, and the scent of an unstained world, a young world, just created. 

There was a blurred time before that, a time where he was powerful, above all others save one. That one he was equal to in power, but while it wanted to rule the lives of men, he simply wanted to help them. He remembered the first time he came at ends with his rival. The day he met her, the day he lost to his rival, and the day he was banished away from the one he loved most.

He wouldn't accept that his rival would not allow him that, and seen the oppressions of all those under him. He desired to free them. He struck accordance with them, and soon he fought against his only rival once more, but never directly, simply stopping his rival's plan was enough. He had found a way to do so, and even recruited many people that would help him to do so. So on they fought many glorious battles, much pride, and even more power. He grew in strength, but slowly the others among his assembled died. They died until there was only two left. She fought beside him at all times.

In some worlds he was a known as a god. The darkness, the vengeance, wrath, silence, sacred, or simply "the night" the name he used though, was Sundown...

While in the same worlds she had become a sign of peace, love, life, light, or simply "the day" The name she went by and remembered most fondly, was Artemis.

She was all he had left, the fighting had cost too much, everything he had ever had, everything he knew... They left the wars they had started against Fate to find peace, in the one place they could hide from his rival. A place all their own. A new universe for them to exist in. A new universe formed from their powers…

He created, the light, the planets the stars, and she the life, the plants, the animals, the spirits. For a while they both were happy, they lived amongst the animals as animals themselves. She had changed their forms to further hide themselves from his rival Then came the time of his own. The first time he had ever been a wolf. But, little by little, she had started to grow old, while he remained young. She was of an extremely long-lived race, but he was immortal. As she grew older they fell in love. His second love and they became life long mates. He could not forget his first love, and she forgave him that, but all things end and so did she. 

He could still remember her fur, brownish gray, and the touch of it against his own. Her scent would still flood his nostrils even though she was now just a memory. A beautiful wolf, a grand spirit, and a great heart. Yet while she could create life, she could not extend her own. She lie dying by a bright beautiful waterfall, a natural garden blossoming around them, that last night they had together. She had lost a good amount of her power and they stood in their human forms. Her hair had grown long, and whitened as the years went by, but the beauty of her heart had never diminished. He held her in his arms. They both knew this would be the last hours of her life.

She spoke, He could swear the echoes of her words still rang though his skull. He would never be able to forget.

"I shall die here…"

"I know… I'm sorry…"

"No, never that. Never be sorry, never regret this."

"But my heart, even now, it half belongs to my past, to memories, to someone I can never have."

"No, it 'all' belongs to her, just as 'it all' belongs to me. Have you yet to learn of sharing these many years?" She smiled, "Do not regret what we have, and what we have made. This world, this universe, it's beautiful, and it is free. Just what you have always fought for. This is a place we made together, never regret this."

"But this place, it uses your power, I'd give it up in a moment, for more time with you. You could you know, take all your power back, live a little longer…"

She continued to smile up at him. "Yes, but this place owns my heart as much as you do. It is whom I share mine with, as you share yours with her. But I fear for you…"

"For me? But why? I will not die, nor will I fight. I have found peace and am content with it."

"Yes, but you will grow lonely, with none but the beasts to talk to. I think I will make more life for this place. One last creation that will be the greatest of them all, will you help me? I will need your power to help give them the freedom of choice …"

"No! I cannot! If you do such a thing, you'll leave me even sooner. Don't worry for my loneliness, I've been alone for ages, I will be alright."

"No, my love, you've now had the taste of companionship, I fear for your mind, and for your soul, please? This one last thing?"

"But what will you create?"

"I will create people. Here, on the moon, and all planets. But you must look after them, and this place when I'm gone."

"People? But they are most unpredictable. I share your heart with this place, but what if they should destroy it? I could not bring myself to destroy another person, how can I protect this place?"

"My love, your wrath has blinded your judgment, once you were cold, and killed many without thought, now you fear to kill one. Now you see what a life of light can be, but I love this place as you say, maybe even to a fault?"

"No," he smiled "you have none, you're perfect."

"Liar." She laughed. "To protect this place I ask you to kill those deserving, but what I ask will harm you, and your beliefs. Very well then there is naught else to do."

She bit him, hard on the arm until she drew blood, he flinched but did not back away, unsure of what she was doing, and even less sure of what strength she had left.

"There, I've given you a curse, a wrath, and hunger for the people's blood. With this you can protect them, and punish them if need be, and you can indiscreetly dispose of those unnatural to our worlds. It will be as simple as an instinct to you. I have cursed you my love, now three times. Once with this lycanthropy, twice with the charges of looking after the people we create, our children, and thrice, with the curse of your memory of me. And yet I ask another selfish favor of you…"

"What? What is it then? I'll make the children with you, I'll protect this place and all of our nature, I'll never forget you, I could never do such a thing. What else? Anything, just ask it…"

"I wish for you to find happiness once more. To find it again simply look to the faces of our children."

Than a large light pulsed through her, pushing the last of her powerful life force into the air, through the atmosphere, for all things in their universe to see. He felt the weight in his arms grow light and fade out all together. He wept, as he bestowed a large portion of his own power into hers, the darkness mingled with the light creating all the different spectrums of color. The lights exploded, and rained down on all the planets of space. Where each drop fell new life was born. It was a beautiful sight to behold, the sight of all creation, but he wept. He wept as she gave her life to so many, to their children. He looked down at himself finding himself to be old. He had put much power with hers to create people. He had given up his youth for them, but he could never die, so it did not bother him. What it meant to him was his heart had been shattered to millions of pieces and shared with their entire universe. 

That curse was how he was made, and nature had been harmed by people, they were allowed to grow to out of control, and now they overpopulated this poor world beyond its limits. The instinct in him FLARED!

Tuxedo Mask hadn't laid off on the beast just because it had stopped fighting, if there was something wrong with it, that was its own problem, he knew that this was going to be a tough fight. He tried to do what Dimmer had done, and urge the girls on by example instead of flashy words for once. Only Jupiter had taken the hint and continued to help try to batter the wolf until it looked like it wouldn't move.

It wasn't enough.

The wolf suddenly opened its eyes and glared as it woke up from its reverie and caught his next punch in it's hand. It snarled and squeezed until a sickening amount of crunches were heard. Tuxedo Mask felt his hand go limp… for a split second he even had time to wonder if his hand would ever be able to move again. The pain was there, but he was taught by Dimmer. It would take more then that to perturb him, but the hand was now a disadvantage… he looked up into it's eyes and realized that his hand was about to be the least of his worries…

For whatever reason the wolf fell into it's trance, it was back. And the way it's nostrils flared, and the incredible calm way it had caught his punch, told them all it had found it's second wind…

Sailor Moon Says!

"Isn't it strange and cool how we can all view something in so many different ways? Variety is the spice of life right?"

"It certainly is Serena." Luna smiled, "We each see things from our own perspectives and that's what helps make us each unique as we use our own beliefs and experiences to make our choices in life. But it's also very important to try to see what's going on through someone else's eyes. When beliefs and experiences conflict with each other, it doesn't mean that you're in the right no matter what. You must see from their point of view too!"

"I'm not sure I got all that Luna" Serena sweat dropped.

"She's talking about being truly considerate Serena." Amy smiled. 

"To remember that no matter what you do, it will effect others, and it might hurt their feelings."

"Oh, I think I get it! It can help solve fights, before they begin!"

"Exactly. There's hope for you yet Serena." Luna smiled playfully.

"Luna!" Serena squealed. "What was that all about not hurting others people's feelings?! Hmph!" Serena smiles, as she pretends to be a little hurt by Luna's jibe for little more then a second, before a thought comes to her mind… "but you know, being considerate does more then just stop fights, if you keep thinking of other people it can help grow new friendships and make old ones closer… so remember! Be considerate! A little kindness might just go a long way! Sailor Moon says!"

Next time on: 

Sailor Moon

A Change in Fate: Dimmer Chronicles!

The Fight against the wolf continues!

An angel named Fate?

Talenite's true power!!

Return of Yuuichiro! Chad is back!!

All in the next exciting chapter: Clash of Titans! Part 2 of 3

See ya there!

Reality Check:

"Hey Katie!" he pushed back his bangs from his eyes and moved his bucket hat back a bit further so he could see a little better, "you seen right? You seen Mitchell!"

"Meow?" Came her usual response as she looked around. Katie turned around and smiled at Mike as she passed him in the hall. She hadn't even noticed him there, which was surprising, you'd figure someone who wore stuff like that would stick out, but not him… he always managed to blend in no matter where he went. "heeey, Mike. Didn't see ya there. Yeah I seen him, the last place I expected too huh?"

"Yeah, ya'd figure they'd wanna keep him offa TV after what he did to the news crews at your house…"

"Apparently not." She laughed. "A week… it's only been a week and they got thousands of hackers trying to prove their stuff enough to get in."

"Uh uh." Mike shook his head, "They already have most of them picked, they're already at work."

"What? But the contest is gonna be held tomorrow, the news said…"

"Contest is for show. They already have them picked."

"How do ya figure that?"

"Mitchell called me yesterday."

This took Katie back, they hadn't heard at all from them. He took the spotlight so they wouldn't have to, so he hadn't called so that the media wouldn't remember them. "wha… why?"

"Well… he said they already made tons of progress on it all. They've already sent stuff over, they get to see the new episodes before they air on TV. No one's sure why, but they said it was a success, I think they said they put a broom in where it wasn't supposed to be or something like that, and one of the characters interacted with it some way or another…"

"So they already sent things over?!"

"Yeah!"

It was the first time she seen him smile… really smile, since Dimmer got thrown into Sailor Moon. No wonder he was ecstatic, that was a big step taken very quickly… Soon enough they'd have their friend back… well after this whole werewolf thing… She looked at him again and wondered just how close Dimmer and Mike were. They had done everything together, they even looked alike except Mike was a few inches shorter in height and hair length. If it wasn't for the bucket hat most couldn't tell the two apart… mind ya Mike hardly ever parted with his hat, so the problem didn't strike them as hard, and their attitudes were also very different, Mike being the more soft spoken of the two, where he was also a lot more emotional and would hold his emotions back where Dimmer would prefer to steel himself and ignore his. But they liked most of the same things, had a lot of the same views, and understood each other better then they understood anything or one else.

Including their own self. She could quite easily say she missed Dimmer, he was a great friend as far as she was concerned, she didn't care what other people had to say. But those two… it just seemed like only half of Mike was here without Dimmer around. And unlike Dimmer, Mike didn't have youma, lycanthropy, magical transformations, or Sailor Scouts to take his mind off of his missing part of himself. Of course according to the show, Dimmer was missing quite a few different parts of himself, and he had given up hope on ever seeing this place again.

When he sang 'good bye to yesterday' he was singing his good bye to them. She recognized it immediately. He couldn't know what was happening here, or just how famous he was. He was certain he'd never see them again…

"It's great to hear Mike, he'll be back in no time, you'll see."

"Yeah…" Mike looked down at his feet. "Ummm Katie…did, umm.. can you get some time off classes? A week? Maybe more?" 

"I should be able to manage, I'm only in the base courses they make us take this semester, and I did it all last year."

"Really? Why aren't you exempt."

"I didn't wanna go through the trouble of filling out the papers. I have a different teacher but the same material, so I just pass in my projects from last year. Why?"

"Well, when Mitchell called, he asked if I could come down. So I was wondering if you had the time to take off to Nasa with me. I don't wanna go alone, but I really wanna go…"

"Sure thing! I can't believe it, I didn't think they'd let us, top secret stuff and all!"

"I know, it'll be cool to see Mitchell and know what's going on."

"Yeah! Come on, I'll skip the afternoon, the airports only a few miles away from here, we can get our tickets now!"

"Sweeeeet…."

End notes:

Hart: Sorry Hart, the fight is just beginning here, hopefully it'll bring a few things to light for people though. ^-^ hope it was enough to wet yer appetites! 

Author:

Here we are! One more chap up, and not too shabby even if I do say so myself, and the introduction of Artemis, a bit of Valor's past, some on Sundown, Mina's death, and the creation of a universe.

Not bad for one chapter eh?

Hehehe

See yas in a few weeks,

Read in and review? Please?

^-^

oh yeah, I got some pics done up on some of the original characters in this fic, so if yer having trouble picturing them, just throw me a line, give me a way to get a hold of ya and I'll send ya a jpeg.

I have waaaaaaaaaaay too many on Dimmer, some on Knight's Valor, Sundown, a real sweet one on Father Time, a real old one on Talenite, and even one on his werewolf form. The others are still on the drawing boards. ^-^

Be safe all!

^-^V


	32. Clash of Titans part duex

It's eyes stared down icily, sending shivers running up and down his spine. He couldn't believe it, he had fought this thing every day for that last two weeks, and suddenly he found he couldn't move for fright. Something had changed, and the wolf looked too calm, too full of purpose, it's hunger seemed almost forgotten. It now simply wanted death, and it knew that it wouldn't be able to eat until the ones that stood before it had been brought down. It seemed to make a decision that went against its natural instinct. 

So what did it all mean?

Trouble. 

He never seen the arm come toward him, it was too quick, had it gotten faster? The impact came, he felt bone and cartilage rip apart, and he felt himself fly through the air, than the sudden crunch as he felt the wind completely get knocked out of him. He slid down a piece of what was left of the wall he realized he was just knocked through, no longer able to remain standing, blood started to leak into his eyes. He must have some kind of large gouge in his head from the broken and jagged bricks of the wall…

Sailor Moon was by his side in a second.

She was saying something, but it all came out in garbled speech, too fast for him to understand. His mind felt so sluggish… he looked up at her and saw the worry in her eyes. He imagined the sight he must look. Her eyes, so much emotion in them… they were beautiful… but he didn't want to see them like this, tearing up like this, tearing up with sad, reluctant anger. She should be happy, she should have happy eyes, eyes that held no worries. Eyes that were innocent as the girl that continually ran headlong into him almost everyday before school. Eyes that cared for all, no matter what they seen. Eyes that only had to worry about grades, not dying, and wounded friends. She had seen too much of that, her eyes should never have to have seen that. He wished death on whoever was responsible for doing this to those beautiful eyes…

He tried to speak, tried to comfort her. Trying to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks… but it came out just as garbled as her words seemed to him, even when he tried to speak slowly. There was a lot of pain, the creature must have shattered his jaw… He ignored it and sat up a little more on the piece of debris he was leaning on. She looked surprised at the movement, he couldn't understand what she was saying, but her eyes told him everything. He was too hurt to continue… She wanted him to stop, to rest… was she right? He probably couldn't even get a hit on it in this condition. He leaned back against the rock. She was smiling… it was the most beautiful thing he ever seen, her eyes smiled with her, he had no idea how or why, but her eyes managed to find a reason to smile despite all the stuff they seen. Good, there was always that. But for now he was just going to have to think… Think of something he could do… he closed his eyes, and tried to think, losing conscious thought of reality… his thoughts had become so simple, and it was hard to figure out anything with them. In this condition…he could not even hit the wolf…. it would only hit him…

"Darien! Darien hang in there Darien!" Sailor moon jumped from the fight to where he lay amidst the debris. "Oh my God, Darien!"

He was leaning against what was left standing of the wall he was abruptly knocked into. Blood was streaming down from some wound hidden by his hair, his cloak was shredded and his hat was lost somewhere. No one even saw the blow, there was no way he could avoid it…

She leaned over him, not able to stop the tears welling up in her eyes. Now that she was closer to him, she could see the deformed looking part to his jaw, and that a good amount of his face had already turned purple, the rest was pink. His eyes caught hers and never left her gaze. 

"Darien, no, you're going to be alright okay? You'll be fine." She couldn't keep the sobs from her voice, "I don't want to see you hurt too. First Chad, and Dimmer, Rei's grand father, Greg, Pidge, Damn them. We'll make it through this, all of us. We'll be a perfect team by the end of all this, I swear it."

He tried to speak, surprising her. No words managed to make it out of what was left of his mouth. She tried to shush him, he was only going to hurt himself more like that. She was more than a little startled when he started moving again, it seemed like he was trying to get back up!

"NO! No Darien, just stay down, you stubborn, thick headed, MAN! What are you trying to do? You can't fight like that! Just rest okay?" She felt herself smile as he leaned back. Men… did even one of them ever have any common sense? She watched his eyes close peacefully, and fall into sleep. She looked back at the fight, everyone had their hands full, they were no longer on the offensive, they were now dodging to stay alive. She stood up just in time to see Jupiter get clipped and knocked straight into a wall, Jupiter shook her head a little and looked up in time to see Mars hurled straight toward her knocking them both through the wall and into the building. The wolf was less than a second behind, making its own way through the new hole in the wall, as it continued its onslaught. Sailor Moon, ran out into the open hoping to get there in enough time to distract it. She suddenly felt a strong presence of power and managed to duck in just enough time to dodge the singed werewolf's involuntary flight back into the street. Talenite strutted through the hole in the wall the two scouts were knocked through, he was forming a pink energy ball.

"Come creature, you are not as powerful as you believe yourself to be…" Power from the energy ball seemed to seep into his eyes ans swirl like controlled electricity around his long pink tinted hair.

The enraged wolf was on its feet immediately and charging toward the new enemy.

Talenite reached his hand back getting ready to hurl the energy ball, the beast moved so fast it was on him, or so it thought, Talenite had teleported above it and finished his throw. He blasted the beast with the largest amount of power the scouts had ever seen. They realized just what they were going up against back than, if Sundown hadn't shown up, none of them doubted what would have happened. 

Still inside the building and pushing the rubble away Mars paused at the sight and looked over to Jupiter in more than a little shock.

Jupiter smiled, "Well guess we really underestimated him huh? I'm suddenly glad we never got hit by one of them…"

Once again the wolf jumped toward the pink haired man, only to miss again. 

"Mercury Bubbles BLAST!!"

No! The short, blue haired one was waiting for him to do that! Now it was caught up in a world of bubbles and fog. It listened for any movement, no longer being able to smell its prey for its broken nose…. There! It jumped, and the large energy ball ripped through the cement where it just was.

"You operate totally and completely on instinct don't you?" Talenite's voice came through the fog, the wolf stalked off to where it had come from. He seen Talenite smile and walk straight toward him. The wolf delivered a blow to his head that would crush cars easily, but when he struck it was simply energy that swirled around where his prey had been. There! It was so fast! He never seen it move, He jumped at him again, but once again it turned into little more then swirled energy.

"You cannot smell can you? Your nose is broken, you can not tell reality from illusion."

Again the wolf pounced and again its prey disappeared.

"Dimmer was a genius. I could never beat him when he was combined with Sundown. He was a true monster, you are pathetic, no matter how much strength, or speed you have, it won't make up for his intelligence."

The wolf snarled. The prey was playing with him.

"No! you've done enough!" a voice whispered from no where…

The wolf looked quickly around, where did that whisper come from? It didn't sound like its prey… NO! That meant…!

The wolf held on to its head and fell to its knees.

"He's breaking out isn't he? Why not let him. This is no longer the world you knew. You no longer belong here."

The girls looked on hopeful, but the wolf stood up once more, looking for them. Its eyes had gone feral, and it was growling incessantly, sounding more and more like a mad dog more than a cold, calculating beast. Or was it ever calculating? No it only made one decision on its own, and it was the fight or flee instinct. It had chosen to fight. Just more instinct at work...

"Huh? Hey what's it doing?!" Jupiter suddenly shouted to Talenite

The wolf had scrunched into its hind legs, almost looking like it was imitating a frog.

"I am not certain…" Talenite looked on curiously.

It leapt.

The scouts and friends face faulted. 

It leapt clear out of the fog onto the sides of one of the buildings.

Darien looked on from his resting place. He watched as the wolf surprised everyone by jumping out of Mercury's fog, then with unbelievable speed, propelled its self off the building towards them, they hadn't realized it yet. He made an attempt at a shout, but he only ended up spitting out blood. Dimmer? What would you do? Like this he couldn't do anything, not even shout… If he tried, It would only hit him…

Mars suddenly realized what it was about to do she tried to jump away, but it wasn't enough. The wolf plowed into her from an eight story jump, claws first. It's claws ripped through her torso with little trouble…

Or at least it would have if a large, black bolt of dark energy hadn't sent it flying into another wall.

"Well, well, Malachite what do we have here?" The tall man in the dark trenchcoat, sunglasses, and lengthy ponytail blew the smoke off the barrel of a familiar looking rifle.

"I would say that it is a small group of half dead little girls that got in too much over their heads." The tall man in behind him replied, in a superior tone.

"Chad!!" Mars smiled and was about to race to him, but something seemed wrong. "Chad? You're alright! But Malachite? Why are you here with him?"

"Yuuichirou, if you don't mind Rei. I always was a loser in your eyes. Well guess what? I finally did the smart thing and joined the winning team this time. I'm afraid you're going to be the loser in the end." He crossed his arms and chuckled evilly. "Huh? What is this?" He walked over to where Sailor Venus was struck down, and never moved, he smiled as if a there was a joke there only he knew.

"Oh my what a shame… are we losing even more friends than we first thought scouts? Well, aren't you all getting' stupider by the minute. You ain't even figured out when yer dead or not. Well, fear not. I will save you from this pesky beast. It's hard to collect energy from the already eaten after all. Care to have some fun Malachite?" Chad asked, lighting up a cigarette.

"I'm afraid not Yuuichirou. Beryl's order was to see you tested, The fun will be all yours today."

"Heh. Okay, can't say I didn't try to share." He spoke around the smoke, and shook out the match. 

Malachite chose that time to notice Talenite.

"You… traitor… Maybe I will have some fun after all, Yuuichirou. But only with him, the rest are yours to do with as you will, but the traitor is mine…"

"Suit yourself. Okay scouts what say I deal with my old rival first? I'm presuming that's Dimmer in the fur coat? No, no need to tell me. Remember?" He holds up a hand that suddenly flared with black energy, "I'm linked with him."

The scouts looked from one to another. Once again it was Mars that spoke.

"Chad what happened to you?"

"Me? I got my own power toots. But enough chit chat. There's a wolf to hunt." He smiled as he reloaded. "Hey yas all should thank me shouldn't yas?"

Said wolf was getting up out of the wall. That human… why was it sensing itself from him? It had been shot with human guns before, they did nothing to him, that was no ordinary gun, it felt connected to himself. Like it used his energy.

"Back… give me it back…"

The voice in its head finally grew a little quieter, it was shouting from the moment the power bolt hit. It jumped at its new target, it was obviously the biggest threat there. It jumped with all the speed it could gather, it was a blur to all eyes what had happened. One minute the wolf was by the hole in the wall, next, it was under Chad's boot, while he stood, no gun out, just smoking as if he wasn't standing on a creature that wasn't meant to hunt his kind.

"Was that it? Slow poke…"

The wolf was up in a flash, striking, slashing, biting clawing, and any thing else that might catch Chad in its jaws or claws, but he whirled in and out of each strike, even easier than when they would spar. His speed had increased an unimaginable amount, and with those guns running off of Sundown's energy, he had power to his strikes he never had before. He took out a pistol and launched the wolf back a couple yards. The wolf didn't even slow. It was back in his face in milliseconds. 

"GIVE IT BACK! I WANT IT BACK! IT'S NOT YOURS! IT'S MINE! GIVE IT TO ME!" The voice was back, driving it mad with rage and fear!

"GIVE ME BACK MY BODY!!!"

Never, it was its turn to live. It swatted at the blur in front of it as if it was swatting at the voice in its head. Each grew stronger, faster, but not one hit it's target, suddenly the dark dressed stranger pulled out an uzzi and pummeled the wolf into the ground. He took out the other one just for good measure, and continued to pound bullet after bullet into its chest, it screamed and howled in agony. 

"Stop it! Stop it! You're killing him!!!" Mars managed to push Chad's arms away. 

"That would be the point…"

"How?! How can you?! He's your best friend in the whole world!"

"Nope, that would be me." He gestured to himself with his thumb. "He's only around to give me a challenge. But now he's pathetic, with all strength and no brains, even you girls could take him on. How can I let him live and still claim him to be my rival. It should be an honor for him to die by my hands. We were friends once, so I thought I oughta be the one to put him to rest."

"You can't! You just can't do something like that! Chad what happened? This isn't like you at all!"

Chad looked at her seriously, a gaze that brought sudden warmth to her cheeks. He looked a little too good after he was dressed up like this. "I'd get outta the way if I were you."

Her eyes widened, as he threw her out of the way, and towards her friends, just before he was tackled by the wolf. 

"What the…? AGGH!" Rei screamed as the wolf's speed came to an all time high.

That was ITS mate, this human would learn that!

Instinct once again overpowered the voice in its mind, and it finally managed to clip Chad, a small swap in the face. Three stripes of blood trickled down his cheek. He slowly touched his cheek and smirked as he saw the blood on his fingers.

"Not bad wolf man… not bad at all…"

The wolf stood, breathing so hard it looked like it had just run twenty marathons in a row. It's tongue hung from the side of it's mouth, It felt somehow satisfied, as it licked the blood of it's claw. It wasn't near enough to help him any, but the feeling of showing this human it was not invincible… 

"Fine than wolf man. Let's finish this."

"No Chad! Dimmer!"

"No Sailor Mars, I do not believe that's Chad, the Negaverse must have him brainwashed… Sailor Moon, try healing him! Now while he's distracted!"

Sailor Moon nodded seriously.

She'd have to wait for the right moment… She crouched, ready for time to give her the chance she'd need. She was undoubtedly the fastest amongst the scouts… but would it be enough? She could barely see them…

They both jumped toward each other, The wolf brought its claw down in an arc as Chad brought his guns to bare, bullet holes ripped through tendons and muscles of the wolf's left shoulder and right thigh. They didn't even slow it down, its powerful arm came down blowing Chad across the street against another of the sky scrapers. His right arm hung limply at his side.

"Shit, I even managed to get my arm in the way of that strike! This thing really is a monster…"

"Now!" Sailor Moon yelled as she jumped and struck, the two must have forgotten about the scouts.

"Moon Healing Activation!"

Lights surrounded the area, lighting it up all around Serena and Chad. Several globes of light blasted their way through the shadows surrounding Chad's aura and lit the night up all around them, blinding the wolf for a few seconds. 

Before the wand was yanked outta her hand.

"Huh… wha?, but you were just…" Serena stared up at Chad who was staring at her wand that he held with his good arm.

He smirked. "What? You think you had what it takes blondie? Sorry I ain't done yet, but you can try again if ya like," he tossed the wand back at her forehead. She fumbled with it before holding it tight to her chest.

"A piece of advice from your old teacher? Stay outta it. You scouts are way outta your league… oof!" Yuuichiro found himself impacting against a wall, feeling really stupid, and the world spinning around him…

"Sailor Moon! Now!" Sailor Mars shouted as the bottom part of the broom she just broke over his head swung back and forth.

Sailor Moon nodded quickly and once again sent the wand into action, this time focusing on speed enough to catch him before he was reoriented with his surroundings. A direct line of white light came shooting out swirling around him leaving dust trails of light in it's path, it enveloped him again

"What the hell?! AAAUUUGHH!!!" Chad tried to shield himself from the light with his good arm, the dark energy was being wiped away, ripping out of every pore in his body until it was nothing more than a dark trail of smoke floating above him. With all his energy drained, Chad fell over in a slumped heap, the black faded from his clothing as well as his eyes, swirling finally into nothingness.

He seemed to fall unconscious like the others they healed, but Chad proved how much stronger he'd become over the last few months by simply getting up and shaking it off. He felt really… tired…

"Huh? Dude… Where am I?" The real Chad rubbed his head slowly getting up.

"Chad!" Sailor Mars ran over to him quickly "Chad! You doof! Are you alright?"

"Yaaauugh!! What happened to my arm?!"

"Way to go Sailor Moon!" Jupiter called out from behind.

"Yes great job, but I'm afraid we cannot celebrate yet…" Mercury pointed out quickly

"One friend returned, and one to go…" Sailor Moon smiled triumphantly as she turned to face the beast. It had its eyes shut tight and ears down, as if hearing screaming only it could hear, it leaned heavily on it's good leg, and held its wounded shoulder in one claw. It must have noticed the mood shift back toward it, for it opened its eyes, and took a more prepared for anything stance, still favoring one leg.

"Looks like he still has some fight left in him."

The battle once struck on again, Sailor Moon came in with a flying kick as the wolf waited until the last second to jump away, only to have to dodge a series of lightning bolts fired at it by Jupiter, Mercury came crashing down on it from above, it threw its weight to the side, just barely dodging, it made a strike of it's own, grabbing at Mercury's leg…

"NO!" 

The voice shouted, Mercury broke its grip, and flipped away before it had the chance to complete its throw.

The scouts heaved a sigh in relief, it seemed every time it managed to get a hit on one of them, they lost another friend.

"That's what you get for trying to take him on alone you goof!" Mars bopped Chad on the head. Knocking his gaze away from her.

"Ouch!"

he noticed a still figure in a crevice in the road. "Huh? Mina! Rei what happened to her?!"

"We're not sure," Mars paused as she followed her gaze to her fallen friend, "We haven't had time to check, in fact I still don't have time, Dimmer is still too much for us, I got to go back and help! We've needed all of us to take him on, and it hasn't been enough, Venus was hurt earlier on."

"What? You mean that wolf is Dimmer? Than what are you standing around for, help them! I'll see to Mi… uuuh… Venus."

"Right, hang in there guys! Help is on the way!" She stopped to look back at him, "Chad, thank you… the temple hasn't been the same without you…" She turned back toward the dangerous fight against the werewolf and once again joined her friends in combat.

"Great…" He rubbed his head, "Now she notices me after she gets with Dimmer… what lousy timing. Chad you really are a goof…" He got up holding his injured arm and made his way to where Venus lay.

The sky was darkening and the night had grown dark, there was no moon tonight, the clouds had come in, covering the sky, loud aftershocks from heavy blows echoed throughout a seemingly empty city where citizens huddled together in fear within quickly made shelters.

The Prime Minister was kept in his office under the highest security Japan could afford. Suddenly his door burst open.

"Prime Minister, Some mad man is downstairs flashing his badge, and trying to break through the doors!"

"What? Who on Earth…?"

A man flew up against the frame of the door, than a second one joined him, a familiar looking cop came in not long after, other officers of his secret police still hanging on his arms.

"Sir! I'm John, head of the Moonshadow project! Remember? The girls need your help! Get off of me you clowns!" he head butted one, "Sir you've got to listen to me!"

"Let him go! You have a lot of guts Mr. John. I like that, how can I help?"

"Luna! I just got permission for the lights out operation revised!"

"Good job Greg, I'll relay the plan to the scouts."

"Yes Mam! Telepath out."

"Scouts? How are you doing girls?"

"Hiya!! Luna is that you?"

"Yes, Sailor Moon. Telepath has come up with a plan, I'll put him on now."

"Mercury are you there?"

"Yes Telepath, what's the call?"

"We're going to divert all of Tokyo's energy into the street lamps. It doesn't like light, it avoids it, that's because it uses night vision."

"I get it!" Mercury interrupted, "With all of the power going through those lights, he'll be blind as a bat for as long as it has night vision, in other words, until it reverts back to Dimmer! You're a genius!"

"Right as usual Mercury. Just tell me when, I can pull the trigger anytime."

"Did you guys get all that?" Mercury shouted to the others.

"Yeah but how are we going to distract it long enough to do that?!" Jupiter responded, just before letting a punch fly over her shoulder, and using it to flip the beast away. "Whew…"

Malachite and Talenite faced each other on top of one of the near by buildings. So they wouldn't be affected by the ongoing battle beneath. Malachite stood in shadow in the middle of the roof, while Talenite stood on the edge.

"I've only got one shot at this…" Talenite thought to himself. I got to do this just right, or I lose… he hasn't noticed yet…" 

"Aren't you going to run away?" Malachite taunted.

"I only run away from those I have no chance of winning against. Sundown, Beryl, and those girls fighting down there, they scare me more than you ever could or will." It's been a while since he had to throw his voice he learned this little trick with magic well over a century ago…

"Than you are even more a fool than I first believed."

"Am I? You're the one talking to an illusion."

"WHAT?!" It was true, there were 5 Talenite's surrounding him, each growing energy balls in their hands. 

"So you mock me with such trivial mind games? Fine I will destroy you and all of your pathetic attempts at trickery along with you. He made a large slicing motion with both arms and a white bluish energy sliced through all five Talenites, they all disappeared in mists and swirls of energy, just like the ones the wolf was hopping on earlier. 

"You've made a mistake, Malachite. Every enemy has a weakness, and yours is pride." Talenite said in an even tone. "Now pay for it."

Malachite only had enough time to look to where the voice had come from. Talenite was levitating above him, it was his shadow Malachite was standing in the whole time! The pink blast took out the majority of the top part of the building, collapsing the top three stories into the ground, and Malachite along with them.

"Watch out!" Jupiter called, and pulled Mercury out of a flying kick she was about to use on the wolf, the girls deftly dodged the debris, Sailor Moon grabbing Tuxedo Mask, and Chad dragging Venus to safety. 

"What happened?!" Jupiter looked around at the destroyed street.

"I'm not sure! Wait! Where is Dimmer?!"

The scouts looked all around, the wolf was no where to be seen.

"You don't think he's been crushed do you?"

"No… Dimmer…" Tears threatened to well up in Mars eyes, no one could survive that.

Chad looked at the scene, than down at his hand. 

"He's still alive, I can feel him, but he doesn't seem as close by… Wait a minute! That's it!"

"Girls!" He shouted, "The other side! He's running away!!"

"Running…?" Mercury looked toward Chad, but why would he…? "No! He's not running!"

She turned toward the others "He's hunting again! We can't allow him to recover now! We're so close!"

Sailor Moon looked down at Tuxedo Mask, still leaning on her, "Than what can we do?"

Tuxedo Mask looked up at her, and took his weight completely off of her. It hurt like hell just to stand, he gestured for Sailor Moon to give chase. 

"He's right." Jupiter put a hand on Sailor Moon's shoulder. "We have to catch him before some one else gets hurt."

Sailor Moon never took her eyes away from his, he nodded in agreement with Lita. His eyes they seemed to be saying something… 

She looked in closely, she could almost hear his voice, "Show me, show me you're strong!"

She wiped same tears from her cheeks. "Be strong Serena," she told herself, "be strong."

She suddenly looked toward the rest of the scouts and nodded, before jumping away, all the scouts jumped after her, filled with silent determination.

Tuxedo Mask, managed a smile, than started walking as quickly as his injuries would let him.

"Damn, I can't help them like this." Chad looked to his arm, "Mina, Mina snap out of it." Her face didn't look as hurt as the situation seemed, it must have been a miracle, there were lots of abrasions and scratches. The hole in the cement looked like it should have caved in her skull. Dimmer must have been trying to break free again when he hit her, that's the only explanation for it… "Mina, come on, You're just unconscious, you gotta come outta this."

"Wha, huh? Chad?! Am I dead?!"

"Not yet you aren't. Can see why you'd feel like that though."

"Chad! Chad is that you? Is it really you!"

"Uhh, yeah… at least I think so…" He blinked a couple times, and scratched his cheek with his index finger. "Aren't I?" He wasn't sure; last he remembered was being stuck in those cold Negaverse caves.

"You most certainly are…" Venus smiled, and reached up and took his hand away from his cheek, and kissed him. 

Chad grew completely red in the face.

"Thanks for saving me."

"But I didn't save you…"

"Would you rather me take it back?" She laughed upliftingly. 

"I ..uh… but Mina, I can't… Rei .. and …"

Venus backed off a little sad at being rejected, "But Chad, Rei loves Dimmer… You can't take that away from them now…"

"I know, I don't want anyone hurt by me…but …No, wait! I can't give up!" He shouted, "I won't quit, no matter what. Dimmer you are my rival in every way! I won't let you win so easily!"

"Chad…" Venus whispered, than she smiled. "If you won't give up, than neither should I, right? I don't want to see you hurt, but that's how love works sometimes doesn't it?"

"Yup," He smiled back cheerfully, "There's always hope, even if it's a small one, I gotta try."

Mina looked to his eyes. She could tell he really meant it despite the completely un-serious tone he used. It was funny how someone's eyes could show how much someone cared. He held so much love for Rei and Dimmer both. And he would never try anything to hurt them willingly. But he couldn't give up on Rei either. Mina smiled sadly. He was fighting a battle they both knew he would lose, but he continued to fight it cheerfully, and never looking back. She looked up and smiled, just as cheerfully as Chad.

"I'll be there for you then. Even until after you crash and burn."

"Thanks Mina, I…Hey! Wait a minute! I can't thank you for that! Can I? Dude…" Chad scratched his head really confused.

Venus just laughed. How could Rei not love this guy? He was always so cheerful, and determined. She had made her decision. 

She would wait. 

Chad was always kind and a friend to all of the scouts. She found herself quickly drawn to love his kind ways, jokes, and determination. She realized her situation wasn't so different than his. She too loved someone whose heart was someone else's. His. The situation seemed a hopeless cycle, but Chad just said there was always hope right? His situation looked even worse than hers did. If he could see hope in that, than she could see hope in hers too. Right now he just didn't love her like he did Rei, they haven't known each other long enough, she was sure that was it. Somehow, she just had to get him to notice her… 

"Pathetic." 

The dark voice startled them both.

"You aren't even a shadow of the power you just were. If you want something, you just need to take it."

"Malachite!"

"What? You didn't think a trifle thing like that would be the end of me did you?" Malachite floated out of the dark alley behind them, still in the bubble like forcefield that shielded him from the building, and the majority of Talenite's attack. 

"I underestimated him, it will not happen the next time. Yuuichirou, you're coming with me. You've managed to prove your worth, even if we have to brainwash you again. We put a lot of hard work into you, and we aren't willing to let you get away that easily."

Sailor Venus was up shielding him with her arms in a flash.

"No! We just got him back! I won't let you take him! Venus Crescent beam SMASH!"

"Stupid brat, do you really think you could stop me?" The beam was absorbed into the forcefield surrounding him. "Well, you've had your fun, now it's my turn."

To her surprise her own crescent beam came flying back out at her! She clenched her eyes shut, looked away, and held her arms up in front of her in hopes of some kind of protection against it. The alley allowed no room for her to dodge. She waited but the impact never came, she heard an agonized scream in front of her, and felt some weight fall heavily down on her, she caught the weight before it hit the ground. When she opened her eyes she was face to face with Chad once more. He must have shielded her from the blast! She felt something wet and sticky on his back as she tried to set him upright, when she looked at her hand it was covered in blood.

"Chad! No! I'm transformed, I could have taken it! You're not!"

"Yeah, funny how you never think of those things…" He grunted out with a pained smile, he closed his eyes, and let his head fall. He had lost consciousness.

"Ah, so there you are, there's the strength I seen in you before. Well, Sailor Venus I believe it was? Are you going to let me take him now? Or would you rather him bleed to death? He'll come back if you let me take him, but if he dies here, you'll never see him again."

"Oh Chad…" She looked down at his face. It was like that of an angel sleeping peacefully, he would never hurt the scouts. She knew it. She looked up at Malachite. "You'll never be able to turn him fully against us, you know that."

"Tell yourself what you wish if it comforts you. People lie to themselves all the time to justify their actions, you're just a person no matter what powers you have."

"I don't believe you. Take him, heal him, and when you try to bring him back to fight, he'll come back to us again. We'll see who's lying to themselves then."

"As you wish." At that, both Malachite and Chad were teleported away, and Venus left on her knees crying and alone. 

"So that's where it is." Artemis smiled as the pink energy portal opened up in front of him. He knew this was the place. It seemed to feel different from everywhere else. "Hey! I gotta hide!" he jumped behind some rocks as they Malachite appeared with Chad draped over his shoulder, they walked down he caves towards Beryl's main layer.

"Looks like the scouts beat him. I hope everyone's all right," he hopped through the portal right before it closed.

"Sailor Venus!"

"Huh?" Venus, startled by the unexpected, and familiar voice, looked around, but she didn't see anything.

"Hey down here."

"Artemis? Artemis!!" She scooped up the cat in her arms and layered his cheek with kisses. "Oh Artemis! I missed you, I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too Mina." Artemis smiled as she held him tight.

"Artemis, where were you? Luna's going to go nuts when she sees you."

"I didn't have a choice, I was there when they kidnapped Chad. I just got out now when I seen them taking him back, is anything wrong? Why were you crying?"

"Oh Artemis so much has happened! Chadwaskidnapped,thescoutshadn'tdoneanythingfortwoweeks,DarienwentmissingDimmerturnedintoawerewolf,Wegotthescoutsbacktogether,Luna'sbeenbesideherselfwithworry,DarienwasfoundlastnightandsaidDimmer'swerewolfformwouldbeattackingtoday,nowitattackedandIwasgoingtobehurtbutevilChadshotthegroundbeforemyheadgotcrushedbyit,thanIfellunconsciousandwokeuptoChadIkissedhimandMalachitejusttookhimawayagain!!!"

Now if it were any normal person he would have told her to slow down, or he might not have understood it, but Mina had been Artemis charge for years, and he was well aware of her outbursts and had long ago learned to understand them. But Dimmer being a werewolf had caught him off guard. Sailor V had been up against ghosts before, even a few monsters that weren't far from youmas, but never vampires or werewolves, they were just things of myths. 

"Than where is everyone now?"

"I don't know…" Venus started to calm down, "I woke up and only Chad was around…" She looked around to make sure none of her friends were around.

"Than we've got to go find them. They might need our help!"

"Right! But where do we look? The communications band I had broke…"

"I'm not sure, but something tells me this way…" he jumped from her arms and pointed around one of the corners of the alley.

"How do you know?"

"I don't, but I'm just going to trust my instincts. That okay with you?"

"Fine by me, it's better than sitting here crying. Chad wouldn't want me to do that." She stood up.

"Good." Artemis smiled at her, "Than let's go!"

"Emily!"

"Mam, please stop, we'll have someone looking for her!" The policemen tried to calm the frantic woman down.

"Emily! I just took my eye off her for a second! Emily!! Please! Please find my Emily!" the frantic mother called out. The police were holding her back into the shelter stopping her from going anywhere near the doors. 

"Any sign of her?" One officer asked into his radio quietly to not let the woman hear.

"Nope, nothing. Probably just like the rest, probably got separated inside the shelter. We'll keep an eye out on the perimeter anyway."

"Where did you last see her Mam?"

"By the park, she was by the park practicing for her school carnival. She's only in kindergarten! Please you have to find her…"

"We'll do our best Mam, inside and out. The security monitors haven't caught sight of her leaving, so it is more than likely she is in the shelter. Just keep looking in here, we'll continue watching outside."

"Yes… I'm sorry.. You will tell me if you find her?!"

"Immediately." The officer smiled disarmingly. It had to be the fiftieth case of this today, there was no reason to assume otherwise. Than his radio came up, it was Telepath.

"Sir! You MUST find THAT girl!!!!"

Scene changes to a shot of security cameras looking away as a man dressed in a white shirt and light vase khakis with lengthy streaming white hair leading a little girl outside.

"Are you sure you left it out here?"

"Uh huh! It's at the park right over there!" The girl pointed across the street. 

"Well hurry and get it. I'll wait here."

The girl smiled brightly and ran towards the park. The man helped her through the all the people so she could go back and get the song sheets she forgot at the park. She was so excited that Dimmer had picked her to help sing the lead part to their song. Dimmer was her favoritest teacher, even than Miss Grant, and Amy. He always played, and always funny, or doing funny things. She was so upset when she had realized she lost her song sheets, she didn't want Dimmer to be disappointed. Than the nice man saw her and asked her what was wrong. He seemed to emanate kindness, so she told him. Even though her mother told her not to talk to strangers. He lead her out of the building and to the park. He was seemed nicer than anyone she had ever met before, he always spoke gently, and softly. There was something there, something different, something that told her this was the one person in the world she could trust. She was so happy, she could go get her song sheets. "Oh wait. I forgot to thank the nice man!" She turned around to see he was no one was there. "Wow… he must be an angel! Bye Mister Angel, and thank you!" she called out to the sky, before turning back around and running toward the park.

Fate looked down at the small child from a nearby roof top, a little ashamed at his plans. But it would be good for everyone in the end. Even the little girl, and she wouldn't know anyway. "What must be done…"

Still her innocent eyes as she yelled out to the sky shook him. "Bye Mister Angel! And thank you!"

"An angel? No, I have no wings. Maybe someday child, for now I can only do what I can do. Maybe if I can find him again, and somehow convince him…but it's impossible he does not listen to reason, but Valor may… He can understand…"

But for now as Fate set the girl's future in motion, he didn't feel much like an angel. More like the devil himself…

He looked up at the clouds, as he felt a single drop fall and hit against his head. Dark and desolate they seemed.

"How very… appropriate…" He vanished.

The clouds felt dark and hung heavily overhead, a slight drizzle had started. The air felt heavy, the feeling of solemn dismay seemed to wrap all who were under them. It seemed all of nature was starting to feel what might happen.

Thunder sounded making Sailor Moon jump. 

"Oh no~oo! Where did this storm come from?! As if it wasn't scary enough trying to find a werewolf at night, it had to add thunder!!" She squealed.

"Scouts, we have a problem, I'm not sure why but fate has just been changed, there is a little girl outside one of the shelters in that area! You gotta find either Dimmer or that girl now!"

"What?! Oh no!" Sailor Moon stared wide eyed at the radio.

"Where is he? How could we lose him?" Jupiter stood at the edge of the building's roof searching desperately.

"Too easily I'm afraid. Dimmer doesn't want to be caught. We'll have to split up to search it's the only way we can find him in time."

"Well I'm all for it, keep in contact guys! If anybody loses communications we'll assume something's wrong. Got it?" Mars looked back at the others from where she was searching the other side of the building. 

"Right!" They all replied then simultaneously jumped off all sides of the building.

"I'll check the building the girl came from. Maybe I can find her before she gets too far." Amy spoke into her radio as she sprinted along the empty streets.

"Good idea Amy."

She stopped by the predetermined shelter. It looked and felt just like every other abandoned building around, the police really did a great job with the place, but the security cameras that surrounded the building gave it away. She ran up to the door and spoke into a speaker system that had been quickly hooked up.

"Excuse me, this is Sailor Mercury, codename: Moon shadow."

"Roger Mercury, codename has been confirmed."

"I need you to send all your video surveillance records with that girl in them to your main database to this speaker system. I'll jack into it from here."

"Yes Mam. We've searched through them time and time again though, and came up with nothing."

"Then does the girl have someone she knows in there? If so ask where she might have gone."

"Uh.. yeah, that's right. Just one minute." 

Radio silence.

"She says to try the park."

"The park?"

"Yes, she was practicing a song for the winter carnival there. Her mother says she's only in kindergarten… poor tyke is going to be scared out of her wits if she sees that wolf."

"Winter carnival? Officer? What's her name?"

"Emily Emerson… we're counting on you scouts. Get her back as quick as possible right Mercury? Mercury? Sailor Mercury are you there?"

*shot of the radio cord dangling by the door where it hung. No one to be found any where around. Rain coming down in sheets, and thunder booming not far in the distance*

Sailor Mars looked around. Randomly searching was getting her nowhere, and she knew this place pretty well it wasn't far from her temple. If Dimmer was headed in this direction… She suddenly stopped.

"Of course! The park! He's going to try to find where he had that demon buried!"

She fumbled for her radio. 

"Scouts, the park! He's headed for the park." She only got mixed garble in return from Mercury. The rain was soaking her through to the bone and the sailor fukus did little to help. "Dammit, the rain must be interfering with the signal! Great. Just great, that was one of our main advantages."

She swore at this accursed weather, the last time it rained this hard Dimmer had fallen from Tokyo tower… maybe Serena wasn't just being whiney crying about these storms after all…

She stepped onto the muddy soil of the forested path winding its way through the small patch of trees in the middle of Tokyo. The dark shadows that hung between them had her paranoid.

"Great," she grumbled, "things just keep getting better and better…"

*shot of Sailor Mars walking cautiously down the dark, spooky, muddy path into the woods as rain pours down around her*

Talenite looked tired as he stood on the edge of the disaster he had caused among the streets of Tokyo. The rain was pouring down and a sudden flash of lightning lit up the scene below. He had his eyes closed letting the rain stream down his face, washing away the sweat. He could sense the power of Dimmer and the scouts. He couldn't help them though. Not anymore than he had. He spent all of his energy reserves in that one shot at Malachite, and it hadn't been anywhere near enough. It was enough for him to get away, and that was it. There was hardly any magic left in him. Enough for maybe a single teleport to where the scouts wound up. But would it be any use going to them like this? 

In this weak state, he wouldn't be of any help to them.

Lightning flashed around him once again as he made up his mind. 

*shot of the dark stormy night, lightning lighting the dark figure silhouetted out from the darkness of the night, before leaving the scene once more in darkness. When the lightning flashes again the figure is gone*

"Artemis? There's Rei's temple! You're a genius, of course Dimmer would be headed home. Maybe the others have already have already got him home."

"I don't think so Venus. I keep hearing growled voices in my head, and the feeling that things aren't right… Venus, I think he's close by, but not there…"

"Than where Artemis?" Venus looked around. The streets were so empty, everything felt strange. 

"I'm not sure." He shook some of the water off as it drenched his fur.

Luna was sitting at the radio. She was waiting to be updated too, but the storm's interference had the radio receiving nothing but static.

The warm temple seemed to be so cozy compared to the rain smashing itself against the windows. She jumped up to get a better look. Thunder picked that moment to shake them. Luna jumped a little. "I hope Serena is alright…"

She knew how much she hated these storms, she was absolutely terrified the thunder and lightning. And the ferociousness of this storm in particular had even her own heckles up.

The lightning that followed after the thunder came as expected, but some thing happened that she didn't expect. There in the middle of the street far below the stairs Luna could make out two figures. Most people would never have been able to recognize someone so far away on a dark stormy night, but Luna wasn't a person. She was a cat, and her eyes had been made to be able to see in the dark. And as she peered into the darkness, she could make out two distinct forms of a long haired girl and her cat…

"No… It couldn't be!" She stood up, and ran out the door, the warmth of the temple forgotten completely, and hardly feeling the freezing rain pouring down around her.

She called out into the storm.

"Than we should keep searching right? Artemis?"

It was barely a whisper. Hardly enough to be heard, but Artemis could have swore he heard it. The dark city seemed too much like the caves he had spent the last few weeks in. The company felt good. He missed Mina so much as he walked through those caves alone, and hunted. His only hope was not to be seen, not to be heard. He had to keep busy to stop his mind from roaming to other things. He had learned much of the ins and outs of the caves, where the generals chambers were. Even where they kept the crystals though security was so high around there, he had no chance of trying to steal it. They didn't even trust their own people from trying to steal it. After all power is power and if they could access the power of that crystal…

"Artemis! Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah Venus, I just blanked out for a seco… It is…"

He'd missed one person more than he did his charge. And her voice had just floated on the wind. Only by chance could even his sensitive ears have heard it. He wasn't sure what it was the voice had said, but he knew immediately who it was. A voice that constantly called him through cat naps, and peaceful nights. 

"Artemis!" 

There it was again… but now he knew he must be hearing things. Only in his dreams had she ever called out for him. He turned to look beside him, something just told them that's where the end of this would take place, that's where Dimmer was… It was the woods beside the temple if wasn't mistaken…

As he started to walk forward, his head down, he walked right into Venus' knee. She smiled down at him as she knelt in front of him. Smiling she slowly turned his head to look behind him.

"Artemis!" 

He blinked was it really her? Was he seeing things, she looked happy… smiling, smiling at him. How could he be the cause of anything that beautiful…?

"Artemis! It's you, it's really you!"

"Luna? Luna!" He bounded off to meet her as quickly as he could. They immediately rubbed up against each other, her wet fur seemed like heaven to him.

"Artemis…" Luna let out a small sob. "Artemis where were you? … I thought I'd lost you."

He looked at her a little stunned. She was crying, he couldn't tell the tears had mixed in with her fur, and the rain hid it from him, the sob was the only reason he could tell. She was worried, had been worried for him. First she was smiling, than he found out he had caused her to cry. He felt like heaven when he made her laugh or smile, but there was no one he could hate more than himself, when she was angry or sad because of him. 

"Shhh… It's okay, I'm sorry… please don't cry…" He nuzzled into her neck.

"Oh Artemis, I'm the one who's sorry… You seen it the whole time, seen what I never could. I chased you away cause I couldn't see it. Tell him I'm sorry Artemis, please? Forgive me, please?" she cried into his fur.

"Huh? I don't understand… Luna, there's nothing to forgive."

"Yes there is, I see that now. My purpose… I should have seen it right along. It was Serena who helped me see it."

"Luna…" he smiled, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh you silly cat," She wiped her eyes with her paw, still smiling, and backed off to look in his eyes. "You don't remember do you?"

"Remember? You mean you remember something else? About the Moon Kingdom?"

Luna smiled up at him. He really had no idea about anything did he? How Father Time created them both, she had rejected their father and he had embraced him. None of it even entered his mind. She remembered that Father Time had told her that if she ever needed to contact him, just ask Artemis. Artemis had some way of contacting the most powerful person in the entire universe. But he didn't remember about him, or any of it. Queen's Serenity did her job too well. 

"Don't worry about it, for now Artemis. The girls are in trouble, Venus? Are you okay? I got radioed saying you took a pretty hard hit."

"I'm fine. Chad saved me…" She looked away quickly. "Malachite appeared, I tried to fight him, but I couldn't do anything about it. He took him again, they're going to brainwash him again."

"Chad will be fine Venus, he's a fighter, and a damn good one." Artemis turned to her. "I'm sure of it."

"Yes. Of course, Chad won't give up. He never does…" She smiled remembering the earlier conversation.

"What are you guys doing here than anyway?" Luna asked as she continued to push herself against Artemis. She had felt so alone, and his wet fur let her know he someone was close by...

She blushed, as she told herself that's all it was. 

"Dimmer is around here Luna, I can't explain it, I'm going mostly by instinct. But I'm certain he's close. In fact I think he's in there…" 

*shot of Sailor Venus, and the two cats standing close to each other. The rain drenching them all as they looked into the shadows of the woods. Lightning flashes behind the woods giving the scene an ominous feeling*

Sailor Moon ran, head down, and holding her hands over her ears and letting out a small whimper every time the lightning flashed, and thunder rolled through the dark clouds of the night. She had run in no direction in particular, she had no idea where she was. The rage of the storm had her terrified. She was alone, and scared out of her wits. 

"I want to be strong!" she yelled out at the storm tears mixing with the rain on her face. 

In answer the storm seemed to yell back at her as a large roar of thunder rang through the heavens and several lightning flashes brightened the sky just enough to see the dark, gloomy clouds that hung above that seemed to have no end.

She fell on her face at full sprint with a yelp. She scraped up her knees and hands good, she hadn't looked yet, but she could feel the rain and mud stinging the new cuts. She didn't know where the mud came from, there was no mud on the paved streets of Tokyo. She didn't look up to see though. Instead she just laid there not moving and sobbed. There was no one there… her friends had to split from her, and without them she knew she was weak. She loved her friends so much…

Lightning flashed once more tearing an involuntary shriek from her as she quickly curled up into a fetal position.

But now her friends weren't here, it was only her, and she couldn't find the strength that they all seemed to see in her. Fear had her gripped so tightly and it wasn't letting go. She shrieked again as another blast of thunder rang out above. And then again as she felt a hand touch her. She quickly backed away from it, her eyes wide with terror, she backed off until she felt herself run back first into a tree. A dark figure stood over her, and seemed to limp toward her. It made no sound, it simply came toward her.

She squeezed her eyes shut as it reached down to her, and another flash of lightning lit up the skies.

"I'm going to die!" She whispered and thought incredulously. The thought seemed to conquer and take over every other thought in her body, her mind kept repeating it over and over.

"I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"

For some reason her mind started to come back to itself. As it did she felt the warmth of someone holding her, a gentle swaying motion. It was comforting.. She didn't seem to be sitting in the mud anymore. She slowly unclenched her eyes, daring to look. Was she in someone's lap?

The thunder sounded once more. She clenched her eyes again quickly and hid her face in the person's shoulder. Their arms comfortingly wrapped around her.

She smiled in spite of herself. She knew who it was. It was the same person it always was. No wonder he didn't make a sound, he could only speak in grunts, and garbled noise. That probably would have scared her further. It was her Darien, she peeked out from his shoulder to stare at him. He tried to smile down at her. She could see the pain etched on his face for even trying to smile with his shattered jaw.

She reached up and slid her hand down from his forehead to his cheek. Was it really him? Was he really there? How did he do it? How was he always there? The same person who was there for her time after time. She hugged him tightly, forgetting about his back injury, as more lightning flashed and outlined his features. He moved her so she would look back up at him.

She looked quickly away embarrassed. She could only imagine the sight she made now, half covered in wet and caked mud, the rain and mud ruining her hair she worked so hard to keep looking like it normally does… She almost felt like crying. She didn't know the reason why she wanted to impress him right now. Well she thought she knew, she could admit to herself easily she loved Tuxedo Mask, but Darien? She was just starting to realize, maybe she loved him too. And did she truly believe she loved him? Well in her heart of hearts she would often say no, how could she know what love was yet? She was only fourteen after all, but here it was staring her in the face. Somehow as she looked at him, putting himself through pain to just try to comfort her, all of her feelings came rushing to the surface.

But as time seemed to stop it started up again too soon, he started to get up, standing her up too. He was having a hard time walking so she put his arm over her shoulder and helped him along. He was right. He wanted to keep moving, there was still something they had to do. He was so strong, in heart, in mind, in body, so full of strength. The next bit of thunder rolled past without her noticing. All of her attention was on him and what was ahead of them both. For the first time she looked at her surroundings. She had somehow ran into the forest park not far from Dimmer's old bench he had slept on. She reached for her radio, to try to get in contact with the other scouts. There was nothing but static though. 

*shot of them as they walked toward the outer edges of the park, both depending on each other to get there.*

"There!" Sailor Jupiter shouted as she saw the wolf sniffing the air. It had found the trail of something. Was it the girl? She wouldn't give it time to look. She put her radio on the emergency beacon, and attacked it with a flying knee kick.

It dodged the last second, grabbed her by her leg, whipped her around and flung her toward a building. 

"Not that easy buddy!" She yelled as she turned herself around in midair and used her feet to push off the wall she was flung at, and once more threw herself at the beast.

The wolf simply backhanded her away, she managed to recover and land on her feet again, making a small trench in the pavement. "Man!" She shook her head to try to get rid of the dizziness, "Might as well just been thrown into the wall…"

The beast came barreling down upon her, it's wounds taking away the usual grace to it's movement. It was losing power fast.

But so was she. She knew she couldn't take the wolf on alone, they had a hard enough time when the whole team was there! She tried to jump over its head only to be grabbed once more by her leg and to be thrown to the ground in front of it, sending shattered street in all direction. 

"Aggh!" Jupiter Let out a quick scream as her arm twisted at a wrong angle on impact. Was it broke? She couldn't tell, she new something must have tore as pain rained up and down her arm

It stood breathing heavily above her, its open wounds staining its wet, white fur with blood. Than it struck both of its arms pinning down either of hers, she screamed as it put more pressure onto her wounded arm, it jaws came for her throat.

Suddenly it looked away, something else had caught its attention, an engine was roaring down the empty streets of the city, there was a small imported car heading straight for them.

"LITA!!" Ken heard his own scream despite the fact there was no way she could possibly hear him from inside the car. That fucking monster hurt his Lita! He poured on the gas. It was going to die.

Things seemed to happen in slow motion for all three, Ken aimed the car for the small ramp Lita's impact had made in the street. The car hit the ramp and went flying toward the wolf. The wolf brought up both its arms to make an "X", than swung its claws in an arc into the car. The ripping of metal echoed through the streets, Ken screamed as the part of the car, engine and all, seemed to be slowly ripped into two. A spark of the tearing metal hit a bit of the gas in the torn apart engine. Jupiter was just able to make out the horrified look on Ken's face before the car started to explode. She was moving.

In the split second, as the car started to explode, and the wolf managed to rip apart into the cab of it, Jupiter snatched Ken from the driver's seat, (for once not wearing the seatbelt saved someone's life). Mercury had come from nowhere.

"Now Greg! Now!"

All the street lamps suddenly flashed making everything as bright as day. It was only for a few moments, but it was all that was needed. The wolf looked around scared, he couldn't see! He couldn't see!! He ran towards the park. He knew where it was, could smell the trees easily compared to the rock buildings all around him. 

It saved them, Jupiter knew, the wolf wouldn't come after the now, but Jupiter also knew as the car exploded, she'd never get out of the blast on time, when time seemed to speed up however, Ken had done some twisting, and instead of her back exposed the explosion, it was his. The explosion went off.

The two were thrown into the streets, apart from each other, Jupiter was shielded from most of the blast, yet still felt herself smash into a parked car. She ignored the pain as her training with Dimmer taught her to do, it was a simple thing to do as she watched Ken's body bounce of the ground, twist at horrible angles, skid, than slowly roll to a stop.

"KEN! Oh my God KEN!" Jupiter rushed over to him. He was unconscious, welts, char marks, and gashes seemed to cover him from head to toe. She couldn't move him, she didn't know what was broken, and couldn't risk having him hurt further. She looked up to the park where the werewolf headed.

"Jupiter! Jupiter are you alright?! I got the emergency beacon on my computer, the radios are out!" Mercury ran past the wolf to her friend.

"He..." Jupiter sobbed as, she tried to keep herself from hugging Ken, "He saved me… He needs help… Shelter, the rain… he won't last long like this"

Mercury nodded. She pressed a button on the side of her headband and a computer appeared before her eyes, looking more like snow goggles, it was the transparent numbers that gave away what it was though. She dialed up Greg, and knew help was on the way. 

"The shelter is the building right beside us Jupiter. I'll go get help, just wait here!" Mercury ran off toward the building.

Her words were far away from Lita's mind though. He saved her, sacrificed himself for her… and she wasn't even able to touch him. How unfair was that? She felt no tears, no sadness, hate and anger filled all of her thoughts as she looked up towards the park where the wolf had jumped off to.

* Shot of Sailor Jupiter staring off into the woods, her rage visible in all of her features, burning within her. She spoke a single word with a growl that sounded almost like one of the wolf's... 

"Dimmer…" 

Sailor Moon Says:

"Hey! You can't win them all, but that doesn't mean you should give up! No matter what the odds against you are, and it doesn't matter if you win, all that matters is that you try, and if you're gonna try give it your all! At first it didn't seem like we could win, but we kept trying, and now, well we just might pull this one off, so remember! Try with everything you have! Sailor Moon Says!

Next time on: 

Sailor Moon

A Change in Fate: Dimmer Chronicles!

Talenite's Victory…

Sailor Scouts Never Quit!

The Power of Night's Valor.

Reality Check:

The plane ride didn't take long, it turned out they already had a jet waiting for them both specifically by name, and their stuff packed, and Katie's parents informed. They said they were still trying to get a hold of Mike's Father. Mike shook his head. He hoped his father could get around without him for a bit. Mitchell met them at the airport, arms crossed, and looking annoyed.

"Took yas long enough."

"Yeah, well you know, I hate how slow those jets go, I mean a whole hour? Form Cape Breton, Canada to Nasa? Sheesh, I don't know how you managed to wait." Katie smiled sarcastically, before the three broke into smiles.

Mitchell smirked, he loved how they could see right through any act he put out. "Come on, I'll show yas to where your staying, I'm glad you both could make it."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world man."

"I know."

"So where we staying?"

"My place on the base." He walked over to the limousine parked there, and opened the door for them." They all went in with plenty of room despite the fact that they had company. A rather large man both in height and girth, in a gray business suit.

"This here's Jamie guys. Manager of DiC, and my new boss."

"Nice to meet you sir."

"…" Mike smiled appreciatively and avoided the man's gaze. Why was he looking directly at him like that? 

"And nice to finally meet you Katie. I've been meaning to get a hold you sooner, but I've been a little busy. I wanted to apologize for your appearance on the show without your expressed permission."

"Oh no, don't worry about that, it's not like ya could have done anything about it anyway. Or at least that's what I hear."

"Yes, I'm afraid stopping Dimmer from thinking about his own friends is beyond my influence, but I still feel awful about you being harassed by the media, for which I hired Mitchell, and guarantee .5% of the profit we make off all of this goes to both you and Mike for your troubles."

Katie's mind just went blank… She was rather speechless, .5% of all Sailor Moon profits and whatever investments DiC held in this? She was just told she was rich… She looked at Mitchell, he was smiling, it's obvious he had some part to play in this. 

"Ah, and Mike. I've heard so much about you, not much voluntarily I might add," Jamie gave a short, irritated look to Mitchell who shrugged, "I'm going to ask you both the same thing I asked Mitchell when he first arrived. Do you believe in magic?"

Both of them sweat dropped. They half believed in magic before all this, the fact that one of their best friends just got sucked into a new dimension didn't seem like a scientific fact. 

Jamie seemed to realize this, and decided to continue on with what he was going to say. "but it does take a bit of the fun from this." He thought to himself jokingly before continuing, "Well I suppose so, well Right then, Mitchell told you about our broom experiments I assume?"

They nodded in synch with each other.

"Good then, now we want to send over a person, someone to contact Dimmer."

"WHAT?!" All three yelled once again in synch, Mitchell's jaw hit the floor of the car, Jamie had kept this secret, even from him. He had no idea they managed to get this far. 

"SCYNCHRO!! " The other two smiled and laughed.

"The person we want to send is Mike."

This caught everyone's attention, though Mitchell had guessed it by now.

"Has it been tested?" Mitchell was quick to ask.

"No."

"Is it safe?" Katie was next.

"We have no idea."

"Sounds great." Mike smiled.

Review response:

Hart: Heh, hi again Hart! yer getting to be a regular name up there on the reviews. I far from mind ^-^V Glad your enjoying the fic so much, and thanks for the advice on the rating, yer the first to really respond to that. 

Mina down, four scouts to go GWAHAAHAHA!

As for the genius thing… notta chance. Must be too much time on my hands, which makes sense, cause now that I don't have time, I don't update near as much as I should… But be patient, cause I unless I die in some way, this fic will be finished. I give all the readers my word.

Setsuna_Darkheart: thanks for the review! Hopefully this one has kicked just as much as the chapters before this one for ya. The Scum of the earth one, was just as much fun to write I'll guarantee ya that. I got a couple more like it planned. Mostly sappy unfortunately, but –The Offspring- Come Out Swinging- will be on there for an upcoming battle scene… by up and coming I mean much further on and towards the end of the fic though. 

himitsu-no-hi: Yay! Glad to hear from ya Himitsu As always!! Hey thanks for the spelling error, I'll get on that the moment I get the chance. Hehehe, yeah I know I'm evil like that, but that's haf the fun of it all, I'm glad ya managed to get the linkage between them! I wasn't sure if I understood it myself sometimes lol. 

As for the reality bits? They're the one thing I keep up sleeve. It keeps the veteran readers coming back for more ~_^

Endnotes:

Hi all. Me again, ack! Has it been this long since I updated?! Holy crap! Moron I be! But at least I 'have' updated! *^-^*

I hope everyone enjoyed, I've been slaving away at the next chapters, and it's getting more and more difficult to write, and keep on track of things. I wanted to finish this by chapter forty, but it looks outta the question now, maybe early forties though. Anyway read and review please!! I can't tell you how much a review can spur me on to write faster. (nothing like encouragement from people who like yer stuff, it's like adrenaline)

I hope to update faster, this time, as always 

peace out all!


	33. Clash of Titans part 3, Final showdown

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue!

Dimmer however is mine…

of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission, mostly so I can read it too -. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway.

Warning: mild language, some violent scenes

.

The world seemed to rock heavily back and forth, and it was filled with nothing but hot, blindingly white pain. Pain was about the only thing he could feel, what was left of his nose would have to be the only thing to guide him.

He had to get away, even the one scout had almost maimed him with that last explosion, and then the many rows of lights that had filled the streets, did they turn against him as well? Was even nature against him? So bright… so bright, so horribly bright that now the remnants of that bright white light, was all his eyes could see! 

He couldn't afford to be maimed… couldn't afford to be injured, but that he already was... There was a scent in the air, through his broken nose, and even through the rain, his hunger had still managed to grasp on to it. It was close, barely a mouthful to him, but it would be enough… even if only for a few minutes… He bowled over in agony as his stomach seemed to twist and groan inside of him. He felt the ripping pain as his bones and flesh started to twist back, his power was fading… it wouldn't be long… He needed to feed. The voice in its head was growing stronger and stronger, he barely noticed that scout in time. It was only luck he managed to catch her by the leg, had it been one of the faster ones, he never would have had a chance… he needed to feed… NOW!

This place looked familiar, the demon body he buried was just deeper into the small grove of trees, but the scent he had caught was much closer than that. He hid beneath the shadows of the trees as his sensitive ears caught the sounds of something other than rain and thunder. The little human seemed cautious all of a sudden, almost like a cautious fawn entering a meadow. The child almost entered the clearing where there sat a bench, with her song papers on it... She looked around carefully, like a deer trying to sense if something was wrong.

His age-old instincts kicked in once more, and he crouched low behind the bush, out of sight. He wasn't sure if he wanted this one, the young were innocent, there was no reason to hunt the young. He would move on. Find the demon body further into the woods… He was no human… no amount of hunger would ever make him take an innocent life.

Then it happened.

Emily steeled herself, in an adorable way, and made her decision. She knew something was out of place, everyone was in hiding for a reason, she could tell that much, after all she knew she was a big girl now, she'd be seven in the coming spring! She'd be real fast than head straight back to her mom! She bolted for the binder left on the (familiar) park bench with a few lampposts to either side.

It was the running that triggered everything. The moment she took off running every instinct inside of him told him to hunt! It was as fierce and natural as his want to defend himself. There was no getting away from it. The fear in the air from the little girl's mind blocked off completely the voice screaming to stop in its head. It growled, the hunt was on. The girl reached the bench just as she heard the large growl. And the thunder of the heavens, seemed to roar, and rock the very ground she stood on.

.

Mars heard the growl and came running to the clearing. She saw the wolf jump at the little girl.

"NOOOOO!!!" she screamed horrified, "DIMMER NOO!!!"

.

From the other side of the park both Jupiter and Mercury showed, and gasped. They walked in to the same sight as Sailor Mars. Mercury shut her eyes, and quickly put her hands over her face, Jupiter's eyes grew even more furious. There was no time, the wolf was already upon her. There was nothing either of them could do.

.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stumbled into the clearing, she was looking for a place they could allow him to rest a few moments, she remembered the bench here. Neither of them expected to see this.

Sailor Moon made a gasp.

"Shit." The curse came out clearly despite the shattered jaw.

.

Sailor Venus and the moon cats, came on the scene, "No! Dimmer! Venus Crescent beam SMASH!" She would try, but she would be too late, just like the others.

.

Emily stood frozen in fear, the monstrous from of the wolf leaping at her, it was so fast… and by the time sense finally came back enough in to her to run, all she could do in that final split second, was scream. The high pitched shriek that came out of her tore though the hearts of everyone watching and left their ears echoing that horrible sound.

.

The Council of Fate looked on. It was a horrible thing he had to do, but it had to be done. They led that poor girl there for this very reason after all. They watched the scene from his bright room. A single tear ran down its face as it weaved the arcane circle that would seal her fate. They remembered her mistaking him for an angel… All it ever wanted to do for this world was good, so why had it come to this? How much more evil would thy have to commit, before they could return things to how they should be? Just as they finished, it vanished, and they looked up in surprise, and partly in relief.

"What's this…?!"

He continued to stare at the scene before him…

.

The wolf's teeth and claws hit bone and flesh. It reveled in it, as its prey screamed in shock and agony. There was strong magic in this body, he would regenerate, and be at full power! It didn't bother him that it was not the prey he had struck for. He couldn't believe his luck…

Emily looked up at the flowing purple robes as spots of blood landed on and trickled down her face. She was hoping her angel had come back to save her, but this wasn't any angel.

His pink hair, and pointed ears told her it was not the same man, but when he turned his head partly around, looked down at her and smiled a little, the same kindness, same light that seemed to come from her angel came from this dark seeming man in front of her.

Fate seemed to have pity on the girl, there was no reason for her to see what would soon happen to her savior. She fainted and landed softly in the mud at her feet.

Talenite looked down at the wolf chewing down on his stomach and surround area. He screamed out as it pulled out his insides, devouring them, like any hungry dog would. The pain was finally fading, but so was his vision. He remembered coming to the clearing just a few minutes before. He found not the scouts when he teleported, but the little girl. He had tried to center himself between all of their power when he teleported, hoping to be in the middle of their little group. They must have split up... and he'd ended up in the center of their search pattern… or no… he focused on the most powerful thing in the area… was it? no it couldn't be… he stared at his own guts, thrown about over the park bench, he had ended up teleporting above. Either way, the scouts… they were nowhere to be found…but the little girl… He noticed the little girl just in time. He had a little energy he was saving to heal himself and others after all of this. It was just enough to teleport the small distance between the wolf and his target. He wasn't sure why he made this decision. He usually didn't care, about such things… He had no real tie to the scouts cause after all…

But something about these scouts, what they were fighting for… who they were, and how they acted… he had been in a horribly depressed state since his trials in the realm of Nightmares. Ever since… ever since Azariel…he could feel his own heart wrench, more painful than even the wolf's viciousness, with the singular thought of her name. He tried to forget her, tried to feel free of her, tried everything in his power, but his tormentor seemed like she'd be able to torment him forever… But now… now he found something he wanted to help with, something worth risking his life for.. something worth giving his life for. He slowly closed his eyes, letting peace take him.

"Az.. Azariel…" he held up one hand to the sky, as if he could see her above him… she was laughing… she was laughing at him again, he knew it… But it couldn't be helped, he only regretted that he didn't somehow impress her, that he couldn't somehow show her that he could stand out above the others… but it was too late for such regrets, and he was proud to die, with her name on his lips.

.

The wolf fed on the power coming from his victim. The crescent beam hit, he felt it, but it did little. He grinned wolfishly (as if he could any grin any other way) at the scouts who had him surrounded, while he feasted on the flesh of their friend. His power was recovered. Jupiter struck first. Her anger and pain beating on his furred, muscled body. The wolf didn't even try to block. The other scouts watched as Jupiter went all out. Her blows sent the wolf through trees and into the muddy ground. She was back on him seconds, smashing into his body with blows as loud as the thunder that shook the world around them.

Her anger, as she remembered Ken's cut up face, laying oN the wet concrete beside her. She screamed in her mind as she rained punch after punch down on the thing. Blow after powerful blow, she was as fierce and steady as the rain that pounded on her, She hit as hard as she could, each punch seemed to bring a flashback of that slow motion scene. Ken's head twisting at that horrible angle as it hit the concrete played again and again in her mind. She was crying openly now, her tears invisible in the rain, and her punches started to slow, exhaustion was kicking in. She was a tornado of powerful blows, but her wind was dying out. The anger was slowing. Despite her want to kill this monster, this beast, this wolf… this… Dimmer…

Her mind started to come back to her, her last punch was no more strong than a kittens, as she sobbed sitting on top of the wolf. It was unmoving beneath her.

"Dimmer…," she whispered quietly to herself, than suddenly opened her eyes, "Dimmer! Oh jeez Dimmer! Are you alright, What did I do?!"

She looked down at the wolf she sat on. It looked back at her, smiling evilly. Its eyes glowed a dark, sickly yellow. It was her mistake to stop. She would learn from it soon enough though, he would teach her. Her arm was still hurt from the their tussle in the streets. He could sense it. His sense of smell had come back to him completely and the wounds from before were healing u as well. This one would be the first to learn. Lightning flashed, and Jupiter found herself being held up by her throat. The wolf took her arm and snapped it, as if snapping one of the powerful Sailor's arms was little more than the breaking of a branch. Sailor Jupiter screamed, as the wolf took to bending her arm until the bone snapped completely in two. He wouldn't kill now, unless he had to. But he still had to defend himself. The ones here would not be giving him trouble again for a long while. He snarled as he looked towards the rest of them, he would make sure of it.

The other scouts just managed to catch up now at the tail end of Jupiter's storm, and now Jupiter was being held up to a tree, and the wolf gripped her already injured arm… then pulled. Her shoulder came completely out of joint. And another heart-wrenching scream was driven from her lungs.

She fell back slumped against the tree as the wolf let go.

"Jupiter!" Sailor moon yelped. She rushed over to her fallen friend, while the others attacked.

Tuxedo Mask watched in pure anger as the creature tore through their ranks like paper. The scouts had been fighting since sunset, they weren't up to where they would have to be, and the wolf was now fully fed. All his work of distracting it for those two weeks, nothing, it all meant nothing in the end. The scouts jumped back and sent blast after blast of their powers into the creature still it came.

Sailor Mars felt the flesh of her stomach explode in pain as its claws ripped down he front of her uniform, Sailor Venus, where ever she came from, could do little as its own speed far exceeded hers. She found herself landing sideways into a tree. The brave cats jumped up, scratching at its eyes, trying to distract it long enough for Sailor Mercury to get some kind of strike in. The cats were swatted away like paper balls, and mercury had a spin kick headed for a fully attentive werewolf. She landed on the ground with a large thump, ankle twisted and broken.

Sailor Moon stood up.

No! He couldn't do anything to help her! Tuxedo Mask stood up quickly, forgetting his wounds completely. It was impossible, in this condition he couldn't take on the wolf in its weakened state let alone like this. Jumping at it randomly wasn't going to solve things. But in this state all he could do was walk, maybe run. Hitting would be of no help… all he could do was be struck…

All he could do was be struck… the words echoed through his skull as he saw Sailor Moon try a spin kick to its head. Only to have her foot caught and yanked horribly forward, ripping the ligaments inside with deadly force, her leg was caught in it's iron grip, she couldn't move!

All he could do was be struck…! Suddenly he stood up, an idea coming to him he asked himself earlier what would Dimmer do? He remembered Talenite…He had found his answer…

Thunder roared and lightning flashed as the wolf's claw rose, ready to leave Sailor Moon maimed. It came down, tearing through, flesh, bone, and blood.

It looked surprised as it stared down into the eyes of its rival of this world. It could have sworn it had already dealt with this one…

Tuxedo Mask smiled at the creature. The answer was there right along. He felt stupid for not realizing it earlier. All he could do was be struck. So he let himself be struck. These were his friends, he wouldn't see any more of them hurt. Not as long as there was still something he could do. Sailor Moon had cried something out to him behind him when he took the blow for her. She was worried about him, he tried to mutter an apology, though just more garbled noise came out.

The torn arm wasn't going to keep Jupiter down for long, not after her training with Dimmer. She knew what pain felt like, she had gotten back up and came from behind to try a kick to the wolf's head. The wolf sensed it coming, and turned to strike. To its surprise the kick came through anyway. It hadn't hurt much, but there again was its rival. It had taken the blow for this one too.

Tuxedo Mask smiled, holding on to the arm, that was now right through him. Not so easy now was it wolf? The scouts were all up again. Even Sailor Mercury, though she walked awkwardly.

Their determination… The wolf smiled. They were 'all' its rivals… then he would give them an end befitting of heroes… he would fight with all his power. He wasn't used to of showing honor to his foes. He had no idea what honor was… it was a human trait really. It didn't matter where it came from… all that mattered was that it was there now. It howled, and flung Tuxedo Mask's crumpled body away.

Tuxedo Mask simply pulled himself up with a nearby tree, and joined the circle of scouts surrounding the wolf, holding most of himself in, as he leaned forward. Pain wouldn't stop him, Dimmer taught him never to let it, only death, could stop him.

They all knew what the outcome would be. The scouts would fight, than die. Not a word was spoken among any of them. The rain continued to come down in sheets, stinging against their eyes. The silent perseverance and unspoken vow that they would all fight to their end, even if it meant accomplishing nothing.

"That's enough. With such honor, determination, it is amazing what you scouts can accomplish…"

Everyone looked toward the new voice. Especially Sailor Mars. She was the only one who had ever heard that voice before. The soft glowing familiar blue light coming from the stranger's eyes shone clearly as lightning flashed behind him. His cape bellowed behind him in the wind, his black and blue armor resembled knights of old, but had a futuristic look to it. His long black, or maybe dark blue hair was tied up twice making a pony tail that came down a little further than the middle of his back with the long piece of fabric that was tied also around his forehead. He wore no helmet, simply strange pieces of armor that stood up past his ears. She couldn't believe it, it was really him! It was really him!!

"I am the blood you taste as you draw you're last breath." His voice rang out over the storm.

"I am the face you see as you gaze upon death."

"I am the one who gives honor its power!"

His eyes glowed an even brighter light at this.

"I am the Night's Valor!!"

"Dimmer, in this form you have caused evil you may never forgive yourself for… I am not sure how this came about, but I will put a stop to it. Come at me if you will. Scouts, back off, you've done enough, it is time for someone else's turn."

"Hey buddy you don't know what you're dealing with!" Jupiter called out to the new arrival before Mars pulled her back by her shoulder.

"Huh? What's up Mars?"

"Let him help Jupiter, we can still win this. Let him, I sure he knows what he's doing, even more than any of us…"

"What do you mean?"

"Everybody! Listen to Valor! Back off!" Sailor Mars left Jupiter's question unanswered.

"Sailor Mars…" Mercury looked up at the new arrival, "Are..." She looked back at Dimmer, "Are you sure?"

"Come on, girls you heard the man! Every body back!" Mars immediately turned around to try to herd the other scouts out of area of the fight. Everyone hopped clear as Mars broke them out of the small trance they were in.

"Hurry scouts," Valor looked at the beast as it stared confusedly around, trying to figure out what was happening, "I will not have you deaths on my conscience again, leave, I can handle this, you've brought him this far, and I'll take him the rest of the way. Your victory was already won the day, if you'll allow it, I shall have mine."

Mercury looked to Valor than back to the wolf. They both stood silently judging the other's strengths and weaknesses... "Be careful Valor, Dimmer… He doesn't know what he's doing…"

Valor smiled towards Mercury. He knew… he heard... She didn't know how he heard, she had said it under her breath. But he knew all the same. She turned to jump away.

Venus scooped up the mooncats before jumping off, and Mars helped Jupiter away. Jupiter looked around suddenly, "Hey, wait a minute, Where's Sailor Moon?"

.

"Dimmer, transformed as you are, you may just destroy everything we all hold dear. Fate's plan has been set, and that form, has holds no purpose in it, your actions, have breached the cycle beyond unnoticeable repair, and as Fate's servant..!" Night's Valor took a pose, "I will punish you!"

Sailor Venus blinked… "He stole Serena's line…"

Valor Charged head long toward the beast, bring his palms to face down toward the ground, collecting light from all the sources around it. The street lamps to the sides of the bench flickered, and went out, and lightning lit up the sky.

He was happy to see the new person charge at him, a fight. That wasn't confusing at all. He jumped for his throat.

"Super Nova!" A large bright blue blast left a large gaping trench right through the ground, it left a large freshly made crater in which the wolf sat in the middle of, and shook its out its fur, and slowly got up, more then a little sizzled.

"Looks like you have me at a disadvantage wolf. Inside a city like this I can't use my full power. I'd level it. Come on then," Valor smiled, as he walked calmly toward it, "we'll do this hand to hand."

The wolf howled in rage and charged, claws swiping through Valor's body like they did through Talenite's illusions. Suddenly Valor was behind the wolf, levitating like he was laying on a bed, looking almost bored… He pulled on the wolf's tail.

He growled and barked at him. Furious at his taunting, he clawed, swiped, and bit at him with all the speed it could gather. It was still nowhere near enough. This thing was worse than that Chad thing he battled before.

Finally he stood still long enough to block one of the wolf's blows. Valor finally looked impressed as it brought his strength into bare.

"Woah, you're a strong one…" He grunted out straining against the wolf. Both of their arms were shaking under the muscle strain, then suddenly Valor's gave way, The wolf laughed inside as Valor flew back making a much larger clearing in the trees than before, then lying in a crater of his own.

He got up and dusted himself off, smiling brightly.

"Wow, I haven't met someone physically stronger than me since that world with the monkey kid and... well… never mind, but still… pretty impressive Dimmer. But it will take much more than pure brute strength to defeat me. I may have to go out a little further than I first thought…"

Valor looked up at the injured scouts, with a sorrowful glance…You have done much to harm those you care most about. I feel sorry for you creature. Our kind were protectors of nature at one time, a force of nature in itself, but this is not a world for our transformations any more. To prove it I'll use a force of nature to bring you down.

Lightning flashed showing a view of the clouds above Valor starting to swirl about. A huge amount of energy was coming from them, and little sparks of lightning started to surround them looking like the storm cloud held so much energy inside that it couldn't hold all of it.

Below Valor was slowly moving his arms in circular motions like he was controlling the clouds.

The wolf looked silent up until now, waiting for this new enemy to make a move. Like a wild dog, the wolf had slowly circled his prey, snarling and making grotesque growls toward him. His prey ignored it, and all the while continued with what it was doing. The wolf couldn't help but be cautious, this thing had already shown it was quite dangerous. This one also confused him, its scent. It smelled exactly like itself, which should be impossible, nothing had the exact same scent, but this one, there was no difference between it, and its own scent. Only his had more of an aura of power…The wolf was getting impatient, if it wasn't going to make a move than he would. The wolf sprinted full speed at him arms fully extended ready for anything that might come his way.

Valor looked up, his eyes glowing much more he opened his mouth, "ELENDIL!! LEND ME YOUR POWER!!"

Just before the wolf had gotten in striking distance a large bolt of lightning came down from the storm clouds, draining them of the incredible power and formed a lightning bolt shaped sword in Valor's hands. It sparked almost viscously in his hands, casting out an immense heat all around it. He simply raised it up to block the wolf's claws with it.

A sudden impact and the wolf was launched backwards, landing on its head in an awkward angle before rolling away for a couple more yards. Elendil? Who was that?! Why? Why call out her name?! Why would the light lend him her power? Artemis was the only one who had such control over light… ! Why?! HOW DID HE KNOW HER?! He didn't understand, it couldn't be real… He shakily got back to his feet… His head hurt, what was going on?!

"GIVE BACK MY BODY, MY BODY!!! GIVE IT BACK!" 

The voice was back! How? It had eaten, but still the voice had come back. Was it getting stronger? First Artemis, than this… No! He wouldn't accept this, he would protect this world like Artemis had asked of him! These humans, and the other ones, they were all trespassing, and out of control, destroying her heart! Her love! He wouldn't allow it, couldn't allow it! It howled with the rage of the thunder as it met its enemy in lightning. Once again it sprung at Valor, and once again it was blocked, and blown back.

"Stop this Dimmer, It's over…" Valor looked on at the wolf's confusion in pity as it once again stood up shakily.

"MY BODY! MY BODY! MY BODY! MY BODY! GIVE IT BAAAAAACK!!!!!!"

The sudden barrage inside its head had the wolf fall to its knees holding its head in its hands in a useless attempt at covering its ears. It looked up to see Valor's first offensive maneuver, the sword struck with the speed and power of the lightning it was formed from. It sent the wolf flying back into the spot where Talenite's body lie.

There the wolf watched as Sailor Moon was holding what was left of Talenite's body in her arms and crying against Tuxedo Mask as he held her… Talenite had no scent of life in him.

"He sacrificed himself in the end Darien… He didn't have to, he didn't even really want to fight, but he… Sniff… he…" She went back to crying. Tuxedo Mask's powerful persona had been vanquished for the time being, so Darien stood beside her, holding the little girl in his own arms. He tried to comfort Sailor Moon, trying to convince her to move silently. Even in this form where he was less battered than what Tuxedo Mask was, it appeared that his jaw was still broken, and he still had many open wounds from where he had taken the blows for both Sailor Moon, and Sailor Jupiter. One of his hands were completely limp from where the wolf had crushed it. "Why..?"

.

Dimmer sat in darkness. It was only a whisper yet it echoed all around him. He hadn't even tried to speak much for a while. He tried at first, but the echoing darkness had nearly driven him mad with his own whispers. He screamed so much when he first transformed. Trying his best not to hurt the scouts, he screamed so loud that every now and than he could still hear the echoes of those screams even after this two weeks has past. Often he found himself suddenly awake from the deepest sleep at a spoken word said throughout the week at some point. Sometimes he caught himself having a conversation with his own earlier whispers. He thought it better just not to speak at all, before he was driven completely insane…

Something else had stolen his mind, his body! Yet there was nothing he could do about it. He searched throughout the never-ending darkness only to find nothing. He walked in silence and nothing changed except the echoes of his footsteps started to get annoying, so eventually he decided just to sit. So he sat. All hope lost, everything he was… lost… lost in this endless blackness…

He sat until it happened, the darkness around him started to fade. Was the blackness weakening? At first it was only whispers, he was scared to have to hear himself again sometime in the next week. But the darkness began to fade even more, so he got much louder, until he was once again screaming at the creature at the top of his lungs, not to hurt his friends. For the most part he couldn't tell what he was doing, seeing, smelling, touching, or hearing, but sometimes a feeling of familiarity crept over him, and he knew, he knew he was fighting them. A sudden bad taste in his mouth though, and the darkness came back even thicker than before. Dimmer found himself on hands and knees, crying in the darkness. He didn't want anymore darkness. He had seen enough of it in his life. He was so close…

"Why didn't it work? It's all I can do, I was so close!"

He pounded his fist into whatever surface he was on. He could feel the tears start to trickle again. He felt so weak… so frail… so… not himself…

"What else can I do?" He wept into his hands. "I've tried everything…"

"No you haven't."

The response had him up and looking around. Was he hearing things? Hearing his own whispers from before? The voice was so quiet though, it sounded low, and almost growled it out. He knew that voice, but from where?

"Who's there?"

"You know who I am."

"I mean it tell me! If you don't I won't say another word. I won't be driven insane by this foolishness, I've already been forsaken here. Isn't that enough?"

"You know who I am, I am the one 'you' have forsaken. A part of yourself you no longer wished to have, so you threw me away. But I'll always be here. I reside in this darkness, this solitude… this silence. This is that part of you, you have forsaken."

"Sundown?"

"I am he. I am you. I am both."

"Then why haven't you spoken earlier?" Dimmer looked around at the empty darkness cautiously.

"Because I am silence. That is what I do. Besides, I was the one forsaken, why should I help you?"

"Well what did you expect me to do? You were making my life miserable. The dark attitude, the pain, the misery, and depression that come along with you. I can't handle them."

"You sound just like him."

"Like who?"

"Yourself." The voice chuckled.

"Agh!" Dimmer pushed his hair back in frustration, unconsciously tugging on it, "Then what do you want if you don't want to help?"

"I've noticed you make much more noise recently. It's annoying, and disturbing the sacredness of this place in the far reaches of your soul."

"Hmph, so you just came to tell me to shut up then?"

"Yes."

"…" Dimmer blinked… that was abrupt. "Well than no. Especially now that I know that you're here."

"Very well I will leave then. You can have my home here."

"Leave? Wait! How do you leave?"

"Isn't it obvious? Follow the light."

"But there is no light here… only darkness…"

"This is your soul Dimmer, there is light that exists here. In fact an unimaginable power lies in you and that place of light. I will lead you to it if you'll but do me but one favor."

"Depends on the favor."

"Even I like to see the light every now and than. Let me out. Let me fight. Train me. Train me like you do yourself."

"I gave you up for a reason."

"You gave me up because I am the embodiment of your pain, misery, and sufferings."

"See? You really are smart. I won't let you rule my life again."

"I don't want to rule it, just become a part of it once more. Dimmer, does not every life have suffering, misery and pain? You're going through it right now. Despite getting rid of me."

"Well, I guess you have a point… The dagger will still work?"

"The dagger is a physical item. A magical item with the power to combine souls and power, but after it has been used it is just another magical trinket. It has bestowed you with lifetimes upon lifetimes of experience in fighting, languages, abilities, and anything else one person can learn. An extremely powerful individual combined his soul to ours. He was old and wise, and knew much. This has allowed you such innate abilities as your learning and teaching others. You see he knows everything you do and has done it at least ten thousand times each before. You learn from instinct, from his experience in having done it so much. That man is part of us, just as much as you or I are ourselves. His are the memories I hold that you cannot see. You've never needed the dagger to summon me. It just… helps…"

"How? Who? When? This doesn't make any sense!"

"When you were just a child, your first time being one. His name, is Arkand. Just as yours is, and through magic of course, how else?"

"I combined my soul with … myself?

"See you really are smart?" Sundown chuckled, "Who better to combine your soul with."

"I just don't understand any of this."

"It will come." He laughed "in 'time'".

"How come you know so much?" Dimmer shook his head…

"Because I know you. I've wandered through the furthest depths of your soul. I continually search your soul to help give you your beliefs and answers to life's many questions, and it's meaning."

"But that's just something I do…"

"I am you."

"So my misery and pain is what does my soul searching too?"

"What reason would you have to search yourself otherwise? If you never had pain, you would already have the perfect life, and no need to search yourself."

"I see…"

"Have you decided if I'm important enough to be let out?"

"Yes… I want to feel all of life, even it's pain."

"I don't know if you'll still feel that way after I lead you away from here. There is much pain that awaits you. Even more than before."

"It doesn't matter… I just want to be… myself…."

"That will take time yet. It is good, though, that you have seen that this is what you need. But part of our self has been stolen from us."

"What?!"

"We have 2/3 our memory between us, I don't know what you know, and you do not remember what I do, but than there's …"

"Valor." Dimmer interrupted

"He has spoken to you of this before hasn't he?"

"Yes."

"He doesn't really know who I am, we are opposites. I am your black, he is your white."

"Than what am I?"

"The fighting point. The part we both want to win over in agreement, and I have won, due to his ignorance. Dimmer, you are our life, our body."

"What do you mean? You've won me?"

"No, not that. You are me, it's impossible for us to win, in the end we three must all win in order to succeed. We must win him over to our side. Our side against Fate!"

"Hey! Wait a minute! I ain't going up against Fate! I've been fighting to restore that mess I caused thank you."

"You don't understand yet, but when you leave here you will, I'll help you too. You must still make that decision. For yourself, but I know you Dimmer. I've always been here inside of you, you will decide to go against fate, you will join me."

"Don't mind if I leave that decision up in the air, or as it is until you get me outta this place do you?" Dimmer smirked as he watched shadows suddenly form into the well-known dark figure of Sundown.

Sundown looked up at Dimmer from under his hat. Dimmer imagined he could see an identical smirk to his own underneath Sundown's scarf as he replied.

"Not at all."

.

The wolf once again stood. It narrowed its eyes as Night's Valor came charging through the trees. This blow was meant to end this, but he couldn't see Darien and Serena there. Or Emily…. Wait? How did he know their names? It didn't matter. He had to stop that blade! If he judged the sprint right, and the intent, the next blow would end him, and most of the surrounding area!

Valor charged, the wolf was weak, Dimmer was stronger than he thought he would be... He was stronger than his own transformation was! Once Dimmer joined him, it would be a simple matter to get rid of and forcing Sundown to join them and once again become whole. Fate himself had to step in to stop him when he had become a werewolf so long ago. Beryl, never knew what hit her. But it was the foolishness on his part that allowed Beryl to get that far. He couldn't forgive himself for letting the scouts die like that back then. Why hadn't he listened? Setsy, The Council of Fate itself, everything told him, not to get involved… And it cost all of his friends lives before he paid them any heed…

After The guardian of time, and the Council of Fate, had restored everything back to the way it should be, he never regretted taking their memories and leaving Rei behind. Her life was more important than his own selfish desires of being with her. Once this was over, he knew Dimmer would agree with that. After all Dimmer was him wasn't he?

Fate had more power than just weaving the threads of lives, much more power. But now Valor was even stronger than Fate himself when it came to power. Not by much but still…

Eternities of the training he had went into mastering the new power of space. Only he knew it, he was special. He had no idea why he could use it, he just knew he could, and his wings had made him even more powerful, when his wings were out, he was invincible. The wings of Valor, from them he received his name. Dimmer would join Fate, Fate would be restored, and Rei would be allowed to live, without the pain of memories of a love she would never be able to have.

But before all that… first the wolf…

"Yaugh!" Valor suddenly jumped up from the full sprint he was in, and brought down the sword of Elendil, like a bolt of lightning smashing down against the wolf.

But just as sudden the wolf's claws came up in a large thunderclap of power of his own, catching the sword between its claws. Just an inch away from its snout, the wolf growled and snarled in pain as currents of powerful electricity ran through its body. Still holding the blade with both its hands it slowly stood up.

"Amazing…" Valor looked on at a creature with such a high pain tolerance it could hold a pure lightning bolt by its tail end, and have the stubbornness not to let go! He noticed Sailor Moon and Darien watching the fight in awe and terror. The wolf was trying to protect them!

That meant Dimmer was getting some control back! But how?!

He decided it didn't matter. This could be the chance he was looking for. His only other plan was the same as the scouts, and what Fate did to him. To wear out the wolf, but, if this was the case, he could try right now!

But he would have to use his full power to do so. With the light of Elendil already being applied to the wolf, it might be enough!

Valor smiled, he was finally able to let loose, but it would have to be through her…

The scouts watched as the two titans rocked against each other. They were battered and bruised from their own battles with one of them that night. Now they watched as this titan came down and appeared to have the battle won before it began, but the wolf hadn't finished yet. At last second it jumped up and clapped its hands together around the lightning blade Valor had summoned. Arcs of white-hot light were seen jumping through the wolf's fur, and the wolf's agonized and angry roars… no… screams, were heard!

But for some reason it wouldn't let go. Then they had seen it. Their leader was still down there, crying over a lost friend. From the power these two were throwing around, it was obvious she was in danger. The scouts were there in under a second, they would never leave their leader behind, and their leader would never leave a friend.

There were no allowances, this principle was, above all, the most important held by the scouts.

"Amazing, the strength, courage, and stubbornness you have learned since I left you so long ago. I am more than a little proud to say you force me to use this Dimmer!"

The wings came out.

There is only one word that could be said about the shimmering wings that seemed to fold out from his back, beautiful. Beautiful bright white around their rims, with almost a transparent look to the bottom larger feathers.

They were the wings of an angel. There is no other description one could give. They seemed to inspire hope, love, and purity within each feather. A beautiful symbol to all who would look upon them. Each wing was twice the size of his body, and the power that came from them seemed to pulse though everyone around, there was no power that could stand up to those things, now the wolf continued to hold the sword for all it was worth. The ground was starting to break apart and in small rocks arose around them from the amount of static electricity, each rock were quickly destroyed by the jumping electric arcs that flew threw the air that surrounded the wolf and the sword.

"Sailor Moon, we have to get out of here! They might tear up the whole place at any minute!" Sailor Mars yelled urgently, grabbing her leader's hand.

"I won't. Dimmer is still there, still here! Can't you see it Rei? He's protecting us, me Darien, and now you guys too!"

As if in response to her the wolf's efforts doubled, pressing Valor's blade back towards him. The surrounding energy seemed to double, and the ground they stood on seemed to become a crater. Large deformed bumps, as if something living, seemed to crawl underneath the skin on the back of the werewolf.

Valor couldn't believe it, it couldn't be! The wolf was holding him back! That could mean only one thing! This thing had to be stopped now! There was no time! More power was needed, he looked over at the scouts, he couldn't put his full power into it like he wanted, not with people around. The scouts and most of that side of Tokyo would be wasted! His gaze focused on Sailor Moon. Than back to the wolf, then back to Sailor Moon. There was something he was missing, the winning factor that lied just beyond his reach, without the scepter and full power of the crystal she couldn't stand up to the wolf! Not like this!

He turned his gaze, once again back to the wolf. The wolf… the werewolf… THE WEREWOLF! That's it! Lyncanthropy was a disease!

"Sailor Moon! Heal him! If you ever want to see Dimmer again! You must heal him NOW!"

She looked down at Talenite, yes, didn't he say that her healing might be able to defeat the wolf, and win them back Dimmer? She stood up determinedly.

For Dimmer,

for Talenite…

She would do it.

She took the trademark stance.

She COULD do it!

"Moon! Healing! ACTIVATION!!"

The white energy surrounded the wolf completely, slowly penetrating it, slowly forming him back to a more human like form. It rained down upon it like thousands of drizzling of specs of light, outlining him in its purity and innocence.

"It's working Sailor Moon! It's working! Keep it up!" The scouts were cheering her on. Mercury and Mars were beside themselves with joy. They had seen this whole situation go from bad, to worse, to just plain frightening. Now there was a glimpse of hope, hope in the middle of devastation, and it was growing, brightening the lights in their eyes almost as bright as Valor's wings.

But it stopped, the wolf fought back, fought against the lighting in its claws, fought against the light from the scepter, fought against the light in its own heart. It wouldn't give in, not to any of them, Artemis, gave this world light, he would NEVER be destroyed by her, by her love, or by her power. He dug within himself, dug deep for power enough to survive this all, and he found it. Found them! He could feel his skin tearing along his back, as some muscles seemed to try to jut outwards

"No, I… I can't…" Sailor Moon screamed, out in warning. It was working, but he found a way to repulse it back, to defend against it, and she just didn't have the power needed to over come it, the power it was using… tremendous… she couldn't ever imagine going up against such power.

"Yes… you… CAN!" Valor growled out, try to hold the creature back. "I'll help you, we have to do it together! Throw in the last of your power, I can help it, But I can't do it alone, we must be completely synchronized!"

Sailor Moon nodded, determined to give it her all. She planted her feet in the mud.

"NOW!!" She called out suddenly, the area around her suddenly lit up with the light of her wand once more, a flash of lightning, and for a split second it almost like she was wearing a beautiful white gown, but the image was gone as fast as the lightning.

"SYNCHRO!!" Valor suddenly let go, and just as quick was over behind Sailor Moon, holding his hand over hers, wings spread out behind them both, feathers, flying around them in the powerful wind gusts it was created in the attack.

Sailor Moon fell to her knees, tired, and triumphant, for where the once hulking form of the werewolf was, now knelt Dimmer, shaking, in nothing more than the scrap of jeans that the body of the wolf had ripped apart on him weeks ago. He was slowly gasping for air.

Already formed back Amy and Rei rushed to his side, but to everyone's surprise it was Amy that got to him first hugging him dearly to her. Rei stopped slowly, letting the two have a few moments. She learned at the hospital how protective of Dimmer Amy was.

She smiled silently as she listened to Amy mumble quietly.

"It's okay Dimmer, everything is alright. My sweet Dimmer…"She whispered and kissed his forehead as she slowly rocked him back in forth.

It never ceased to amaze Rei how close those two were. Some would think that she was the one Dimmer loved. She flushed an angry red, for a moment there she was jealous, but she knew different. There was something special about those two… She stopped that line of thinking abruptly.

She had already given up Darien because she thought there was something special between Serena and him. Dimmer was hers, and she wouldn't let go of that for anybody. She walked, keeping careful not to stomp like she felt like doing, going up to Dimmer. She was about to give Amy a piece of her mind then and there, if she didn't notice something.

"Amy! Amy move!" Rei grabbed her and pulled her away from Dimmer.

"Rei! What?!"

Instead of explaining Rei just continued to stare worriedly at Dimmer. Amy looked to the other scouts to see their reactions, they all stood stunned like Rei, eyes on Dimmer. She turned to see what they were staring at.

Dimmer continued to breathe hard, and started to breathe faster, it was harder and harder to catch his breath. The pain! The agonizing pain! His bones were being strained against, his back felt like it was being torn open, like it would split in two! He could feel muscle strains in muscles he'd never used before, than he felt something back there tear….

It was the first sign of it.

The storm continued to pour down around the scouts as they watched as a small bump seemed to grow gruesomely out of his back through the moving lumps that were there. The flesh and skin tore under the strain, letting out another secret Dimmer had no idea he bore. A wing, and then the other side, another, both feathered and glowing white like Valor's. Only they were covered in globs of blood, bloodstained, and falling down into the dark, mud.

Suddenly Dimmer screamed and they extended, showering all who stood there with blood and mud. Strings of blood still attached them in the middle, some blood shining pink form the glow of the wings.

They looked broken and bent in the middle, they must have been broken at one point, and the bones were never set back in place before allowing them to heal…

Now they stood out fully for all to see. The glory of the bent and broken, mud and blood-stained, wings of Valor!

Dimmer let the muscles in his back collapse. The wings fell down, useless as they were, but still illuminated with power. He spat out blood. It didn't seem real. None of this seemed real. How would 'He' have wings? It didn't make sense, people don't come with wings, that was something off Sailor Moon, not real life! He spat out more blood, and looked around. He saw Rei, and her worried look, Amy, she was crying into her hands at the sight of his pain, the others were standing in silent awe, and terror, not sure of which one to have. Darien held Emily in his hands. They had saved the girl. That's good. He fought hard for that, then by Serena's feet… It was a body, a face, a face that still seemed to smile despite the obvious coldness of death in its eyes. It looked familiar…

It looked like Talenite…

Talenite…!

TALENITE!!

The claw marks! The mangled lower body! The Tooth marks! The bad taste in his mouth! The blood! Talenite! Oh God No… NO! NO! NONONONONO!

Dimmer's eyes widened and his pupils shrunk to small dots. The roar of a sudden burst of thunder and the flash of lightning covered his scream, making it seem like it was a silent wail into the darkest hour of the night. He fainted and fell into the mud.

.

Sailor Moon Says:

"Every action has a reaction every cause an effect… good and bad alike, it's a law of life we live under. And when we commit to evil actions we all must beware the consequences of it, for it will come back to you, often much worse with time. Talenite learned this lesson the hard way, and it's kinda depressing when you think about it, because no matter who we are, we've all done stuff we shouldn't have, and we did it willingly… But remember it goes the same for the good we've done too! No matter how bad the things we've done in life are, and how bad our life can seem, everyone has done some good too, and it will come back for you, and not everything is what you take it for at first, watch out for those blessings in disguise! Sailor Moon says!

Next time on:

Sailor Moon

A Change in Fate: Dimmer Chronicles!

Valor's explanation!

A lost friend awakes.

Greg, in relation to Dimmer?

All there in the next episode!

Sleeping Angels…

.

Reality Check:

Mike steadied himself. No one was sure if this would work. The virtual reality made it seem like he really was at Munroe park, Dimmer's old hang out spot when he lived with them. It made him feel kinda lonely, he hadn't been down to Munroe unless Dimmer was with him. They created this place in hopes to help lure him here. They wouldn't really be able to have physical contact with him, they said. Just mentally.

They needed more information on his wings to do any more then they have done for now. They picked the person he was closest to in this world to be the one to contact him. Looks like someone remembered he was anti social before all this.

So now Mike waited. His body was inside some weird chamber filled with some chemical mixed fluids. Everyone had there fingers crossed. They planned to contact Dimmer through his dreams after he had turned back from the wolf. Mike was nervous, did he even remember him now? He hadn't appeared on the show for a very long time, but that didn't mean Dimmer wasn't thinking about them… did it?

"Dimmer…" Mike watched the show as Dimmer fell asleep, it didn't take more then 10 minutes after he fell asleep to end up in front of him. Finally, now his friend he had missed for so long stood right in front of him, and he couldn't think of what to say. Dimmer was looking around curiously, then he noticed him, and walked over to him. There were tears in his eyes as he managed to blurt out two words in greeting, two words that showed everything Dimmer meant to him, words they'd used towards each other in fun, nicknames they had for each other…

"'Ey dirt."

"'Ey bitch." Dimmer smiled as he replied, it was a smile happier then Mike ever remembered seeing on that face.

Mike wasn't the one to invade anyone's personal space, he felt weird whenever he got too close to people. Knowing it never stopped Dimmer though, it was proven again now as Mike was forced into a hug.

"Is it really you, Mike? Or am I just dreaming again?" He heard Dimmer's whisper as he felt himself hug start to hug back.

"It's me." Mike couldn't keep the tears from his eyes as he held him. It was going to hurt to tell him the truth, so he didn't tell him, he'd find out for himself when he awoke anyway. For now it wasn't a dream, for this moment it was real, and for now they were together again.

.

Review Responses:

Penguin: G.I. Jooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Hart: heh…. Uhh… yeah… updated…. Soon… uuuh right… did I mention I moved to Halifax and haven't had internet for a month, and had final project the month before that? Uuh? No? Uuuh… yeah I know. Gary = suck.

But hey I updated! And it's the end of this overused fight scene too! And yet … another cliff hanger… hmm.. getting good at those… I don't think Mike's gonna have a big affect on the SM universe, as he is his own. So no need to worry 'bout that one. But to ease yer pain, of finding this fic if the rating does get down, it's one of the longest in the SM category, so ya can search there too.

I think this one went a bit too DBZ for my liking, I'll definitely try to tone it away from that.

And I'll be looking for a long review next time to make up for deleted one eh? Hehehe! Peace!

Lily Haven: sorry to keep ya waiting so long lily, shouldn't happen again. It's awesome you've enjoyed the fic thus far, but horrible you've discovered my evil secret to it…

You weren't supposed to notice the jokes have gradually disappeared and the story's turned over to angst yet!!

Of course I couldn't put a lot of jokes in the fight vs the werewolf, but they'll start coming back after this no worries. Unfortunately they'll never completely be back to the way they were either. Ya see this fic is really, REALLY coming close to its end and so all the self confidence gaining, courageous, big surprises, and unrivalled by any other scenes part of this fic are coming up now. On the other hand I do know of at least two certain chapters left that'll be full of good times and laughs, now just to think them up…

Great, now I have to think up more jokes… hey Serena goes to some hot springs to relax with her family in one of those later episodes right? Hmm… well I do see some crazy antics of funnies in the semi near future, but this and the next chap have already been written, think ya can hold out 'til than? I hope so, thanks for following the story all this way so far, and i hope you enjoyed this chap, despite the lack of comedy therein ;;

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Endnotes:

Finished my digital animation course! So no more tests and projects getting in the way of this fic, yay! Already found a job in animation and moved into a place to get it, so no job hunts needed, to get in the way of this fic yay!

These two actions didn't take long to say but took well over 2 months to complete, which is the reason this fic is 'that' late being updated.

No more excuses allowed, my sleeves are rolled up and I'm getting to work on this baby, with any luck she'll be finished before the summer's out. Peace everyone!


	34. Sleeping Angels, and Tales Told

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue!

Dimmer however is mine…

of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission, mostly so I can read it too -. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway.

Warning: mild language, some violent scenes

-Psst! The story starts here…-

"It's still really coming down out there." Lita let the curtain fall back from the window of the temple. They had retreated back to it, being the closest place around. She looked around at her friends, lying down, apprehensive, and still a little frightened by the night's events.

Dawn had broken but it was hard to tell with the darkness of the rain clouds still hovering over the city. Everyone was here, except Rei. She was in the next room with Valor, they were both looking after Dimmer. He had told them he'd offer a way of explanation after things were all settled.

All of the girls had bruises and sprains, traded for fractures and breaks, from their scout forms. They wouldn't be able to fight again for a while.

Mina looked up toward Lita. "Rough night?" she smiled.

"Yeah," Lita smirked, "rough." The words somehow brought back thoughts of Ken. It was a rough night for him too. He needed blood, and happened to be her type. He was out of critical condition, the doctors seemed quite surprised at this considering what she explained had happened. She looked down at the bandage at her arm. She felt drained. Tired. Whether tired from the fight, or from giving blood, she couldn't tell. Maybe it was the mental exhaustion from meeting Ken again, only to have him nearly ripped from her for eternity. His broken camera hung from her neck, the film would be okay, but the camera was totaled from the crash. She once again moved the curtain to look outside. She wanted to sleep for a week, but she also wanted to see this through. The explanation Valor promised would be given soon. She wanted to know what all this was about. She looked backed to her forlorn looking friends.

The silence was deafening in that room. They were hoping to chase away some of the gloom with conversation, but every word they tried so far seemed broken, and useless.

"Look at us. We're moping around here as if the world ended, and we're just after saving a friend."

"…at the cost of another. Sometimes the price is very heavy for such things." The voice that came with the sound of the opening door was that of a child. He stood in the doorway, a small boy about the age of 9 or 10, with long dark blue hair, tied up into a pony tail in back, stepped into the room. His eyes were glowing a bright blue, showing them a timeless intelligence. He was carrying a man-sized bundle, which looked rather tricky for the child to carry, wrapped in a blood dripping sheet.

"Who…?" Amy was about to ask before the boy held up a hand.

"I used much of my power to defeat Dimmer, and than to heal him now, and I still have one more purpose here to fulfill, that will require much more power. This form allows me to save this power until later. Remaining as Night's Valor drains me of that power." The boy explained in a kind voice.

"I see. So this is what you really look like? You're just a child?" Lita asked thoughtfully.

"Indeed.", Valor nodded in reply, "Just call me Arkand. In truth Lita, while in this form, I even have the mindset of a Child. I'm using what's left of my power to control this form. Which accounts for the mystical blue lights coming from my eyes." He smiled.

"Arkand…?" Amy wondered a little stunned.

"How is he?" Serena interrupted quickly.

"He'll be fine. He's sleeping now." Rei answered with a smile as she walked in behind the child that now seemed to replace Valor. "And grandpa will be okay too."

They weren't expecting to hear anything different really. They all still felt the presence of power Valor held, no matter what form he was in or what name he preferred to use. The silent funk the girls seemed to be in seemed to slowly dissipate with the news though

"…and him?" Amy questioned the bloody bundle he held in his arms.

"I will see to it, that Talenite will live to see another night as well. That would be the other business I must take care of." The boy replied

"You can do that?!" Serena gasped, "You can really bring Talenite back even though…?"

"He was ripped to pieces?" Arkand jokingly finished for her, seeing her hesitate.

"Yes. It's not a simple task, turning back time, for any reason, especially while trying to focus in on one individual. Would you believe it's actually more difficult to turn back time for one than it is for thousands?"

"I think I see why." Amy voiced her thoughts, "It would be a lot easier to find a larger group than it would be to try to root out one individual."

"Exactly right." Arkand nodded. "It will take some time, I will bring his body with me to help in the search. It shouldn't take long though, about a week to find his specific time. I will be able to spend my full time at this task. It was by Fate's order himself after all, so it gets top priority. The guardian of time gave me the order herself. It was a surprise to me. I didn't even know Dimmer had went werewolf, let alone had been that way for two weeks. My only regret is I couldn't have come sooner. Had I have known, I would have been here as quick as I could. Maybe this could have been avoided…" He looked pitifully down at Talenite's broken mass, covered respectfully by the stained sheet, before letting it fade quickly away leaving only a few magical sparkles twinkling in its place before they too faded away.

"Went werewolf? You mean you knew he…?" Amy ignored the light show and continued her with her questions.

"Yes I discovered we had lycanthropy the hard way when I transformed one time myself. The Council of Fate himself had to step in to stop me. No one is sure when we contracted the disease. I fear that the only one with that knowledge was in fact Dimmer, and it was lost with all of Dimmer's when he first arrived."

"You're a werewolf too?!" Luna sat up straight, stirring a surprised Artemis from his catnap beside her.

"Not 'too' Luna. Dimmer and I are the same, two halves of a whole. We are a single lycanthrope as we are a single person."

"I see, so it's no coincidence that you both have the same name."

"Quite so Amy. We've the same mother, same past, we are the same person. When he was younger, the Council of Fate had found his world, and recognized the power inside him. There is a large background story to it if you'd like to hear the tale. Dimmer is resting uneasily right now, It would be better if I occupied your time, rather than letting you see him quite yet."

"For sure! This might finally explain how he fell on our doorstep." Lita answered for ther group who had silently unanimously agreed.

"I see. So I shall start at the beginning how it was told to me by the Council of Fate. Perhaps we all should get comfortable." he nodded to Rei and let her pass by him to find a place with her friends. Serena was already fishing out Rei's hidden secret stash of pastries and treats. Rei grumbled quietly as she snatched some from her, even if that was wha they were here for, she shouldn't always immediately dug into them. They all laughed as Arkand made a straight beeline towards the few bags of cheesy poofs.

"I shall warn you all this tale is as a puzzle." He smiled as he took two bags back to his seat, there are yet many pieces missing and many questions unanswered. If you have any questions, feel free to interrupt, I'll answer all I can."

"Then may I ask a question before we begin?"

"By all means. Ms. Mizumo."

"Just what is this council of fate, you talk as if they're one person, but not, are they like Dimmer and you?"

"Not even a small amount alike I'm afraid. The origins of Council of Fate is a sad one indeed. A world galaxies upon galaxies far from here, and hundreds of thousands of dimensions far from this one, was caught in a horrible cycle of degradation, hate, deception, and depression. It was a very 'powerful in magic' society, whose main focus of magic was the destruction, deception and manipulation of others. Their thoughts were only of themselves and the few others they may have cared for. Because of their uncaring attitude towards their world and people living there, everything was deteriorating, including the ground they stood on, and the resources they depended on. A council formed, one that allowed all and any to join, one whose purpose was to save their world, to save their people before it was too late.

The Council that formed was not a popular one, their studies had proven some horrible facts the people living there, had either not wanted brought out, or simply did not want to read, instead deceiving themselves in the end. As the end came closer the council's numbers swelled, and they immediately began work on a solution. The council divided their efforts on many different fronts, but the one that showed the most promise soon appeared above all the others.

A golem. A golem made from…"

"Wait, What's a golem?" Mina interrupted as she threw her hand up involuntarily.

"A golem is an extremely powerful and magically created creature made to any certain purpose. The bodies of a golem can differ greatly, from rocks, to ice, even to bone. They can be created from near anything."

"How can you determine the just how powerful one would be?" Amy asked thoughtfully, "the element they're created from?"

"Not at all Amy, although their element can give them some added attributes, the power of a golem depends on the quality of magic it's made from. The golem the council had formed in fact, was actually flesh. They put it in the shape of beautiful human male, and it was the most powerful golem ever made since the beginning of all of time. We know, because the guardian of time helped me check it out."

"Who's this Guardian of time?" Darien asked quietly, as he rubbed his jaw it was still rather painful for him to talk.

"I'm afraid that is one thing I cannot answer. Mostly 'cause she asked me not to, for you will all meet her sometime in the future, and she fears time has been disrupted enough without her introducing herself too soon. She is quite picky about punctuality, as you can imagine." Arkand grinned as he earned a few giggles from the girls, "Now where was I? Ah yes, they had started making a golem. It was an arduous task, for though the making of any golem is quite the complex accomplishment, the many people in the council had argued and argued upon how it should look or what it should be made from, nor were any of them used to cooperating on this magnitude of a project. At last they had decided it should look like themselves, only more beautiful, a human being better than any other, of course this also caused many arguments, on just what was true beauty. That argument was never finished.

The body lay finished to the point of only needing a power supply, as the argument grew into a fight, and then to a war, which escalated into many wars, the body was all but forgotten. In order for the body to be completed to become the true leader that would lead them all to redemption, it need a pure and true power source, and it had to be one powerful enough to allow the golem to function eternally.

One day a handful of children found it while exploring, none older then ten years old. All of them scarred from the wars, and wishing to find a place of peace. All of them were killed by the security measures the Council had placed around the golem. The eternal souls of all the children that died that day were sucked into the eternal body of the golem, to this day it is their minds that control that golem, and they have formed their own council inside the mind of that golem. They call themselves the Council of Fate, so though Fate is only one being he is also many. They go by 'him, they, Council, Fate, or Council of Fate', it doesn't matter to him.

He uses the power of deception, and manipulation to stop what happened to his own world from happening to others. With each arcane circle he creates he helps to balance out the universe by sealing within the circle the fate into a different cycle, one of balance, caring, love, and learning. For every vile deed, a caring one, for every horrible disaster, there is a beautiful miracle. A true balance of all things, that he has given to so many dimensions. He seals their fates along their road of destiny, making sure their world can last for an eternity."

"Why the balance? Why doesn't he just make all the bad stuff just, go away?" Serena blurted out past some random mouthful of pastry.

"That's the first thing he tried Serena, but after a while the cycle always collapsed, and the people could do nothing for themselves, they never felt the need to advance their civilizations, or even to hunt food for their families, they were always content with what they had. A balance of good and evil is necessary for a cycle to take place."

"Hm.." Serena fiddled with Darien's coat as she thought about her answer.

"This is all well and good, but the real story you were going to tell was about you and Dimmer wasn't it?" Lita smirked at how far off topic they got.

"Hey you guys asked, I'm just answering over here, to continue where I left off, the Council of Fate had traveled through many different worlds. He had learned and seen many different things, he had become the most powerful being ever seen. Despite all this power, their were three distinct magic powers he did not know, and could not use. He came across such powers during his travels. A tunnel, or doorway to other dimensions, that he could travel through to save that dimension from a fate of destruction that it would have eventually seen. It was the power of space that had made these tunnels. Along it he seen passages through time itself, and time was another power he could not understand clearly. In one dimension no sooner than he had finished sealing the eternal cycle of this dimension's inhabitants, had one stood in defiance in front of him. It turned out a being that could defy fate and nullify any power Fate had over him existed here in your realm.

The creator of Time and Space stood against the Council of Fate, the one who had created the tunnels through time and space that the council had traveled through. His ignorance and selfishness led this soul believe such cycles were not needed, and instead called the dimensions of people that had fallen to the Council's power slaves!

It came down to a huge extremely powerful fight with the one who's name is roughly translated to this language as Nightfall."

"Oh we got to the ultimate villain part did we?"

"Shh.. Lita I wanna hear!" Mina gestured quickly that Arkand continue. All of the girls and animals in the room were now paying very close attention to the boy's story.

"Indeed, Nightfall can be called a villain, but not quite, it was simple a matter of different beliefs. He too believed in the good hearts of people, only I believe his expectations were much too high. He believed that their good hearts would never cause the destruction and continually ignored Fate's council. To this day the Council has no idea how he defied his powers, but after a war broke out between them both, like none all of time will never see again, or in this case has never even seen. For during the end of the struggle, when Nightfall was finally ending the reach of his endurance, he fled. As he did, he also wiped the timeline clean of him ever existing there, and sealed the tunnel he ran through. The Council of Fate had claimed victory but at great cost, for during the struggle, Nightfall had managed to break the arcane circle that held his own fate, and only retreated to amass troops that would stand with him against Fate.

The Council took to arms quickly, and hunted down Nightfall to the ends of all dimensions and back, finding that Nightfall had broken every arcane circle of fate that he had come across as he ran, restoring those dimensions to chaos. Fate quickly laid waste to those that stood against him, so that they could not spread, and had claimed victory over ever place he'd come across Nightfall's troops, and even Nightfall himself on the few occasions he had stayed long enough for Fate to find him.

Finally Nightfall and his beloved had escaped from him completely and left no sign of himself ever again.

No longer worried, The Council decided to let the wounded man alone, and put searching for him on a back burner, until one day he came across a city of light, a city more beautiful than any he had ever seen. This light would be the third magic that the Council of Fate can never wield. It was in this dimension he came across the moon kingdom."

Everyone gasped, startled at the revelation, for everyone there knew what power it was that the Sailor Scouts held, that it was the power of light that guided them.

"Don't get me wrong girls, he can throw fireballs, and ice bolts, lighting. and whatnot, but you girls all hold in your hearts a beautiful gift of light, a glimmer of something he could never copy or replace. The power you hold is held in every heart that lives, but it shines so bright in this dimension, that it puts all others to shame. The thought of learning how to also wield such a beautiful power had occurred to the Council, but the golem created by that horrible and pitiful society could never hope to hold that light. Instead he desperately sought to make sure such a beautiful light was preserved, and after more was learned about it, maybe even spread it to other dimensions. So he weaved his arcane circles, and sealed the fate of this universe as well."

"But it was here he once again ran into Nightfall, under the guise of Father Time. Father Time had taught his power over space and time to two separate individuals, both had the power of light that floods this dimension. Upon the Council's arrival Nightfall had stabbed himself in the chest with the dark swiveled dagger known as Tanoc. That dagger Dimmer uses as a focus point to transform, has the ability to both, suck out, and transfer souls."

Arkand paused in the story, half expecting an interruption, only silent looks of concentration, and inquisitive eyes greeted him. He nodded and continued.

"After sucking out a huge portion of his own soul, he took what was left of his dying strength, and stabbed it into the young boy child to whom he was teaching the power of space, and flung him far into a random dimension. Nightfall died in front of his apprentice of time, who is now the Guardian of time I spoke of earlier, and in front of the Council of Fate who took his apprentice under his wing. They spoke of many things, and The Council slowly grasped the principles of the magic of time, though even now he still has a extremely hard time with it. He's yet to have any idea how Nightfall had taught the little girl of no more than 10 so much about that power in so short a span of time, though he's suspicious she was older than her looks tell. Only she knows the answer, and she's not telling.

"What happened to the boy?" Amy interrupted his rambling about the guardian.

"Ah, but here's where the tale lays unfinished, and is so full of holes. We are not sure. The council found me, or Arkand if you'd prefer, on the edge of a cliff, and quite suicidal. I have had a hard time recently, and it would be the reason Dimmer isn't that talkative about his past. I'm sure he's more than a little ashamed about that night, I know I am. Fate stole me from him then."

The room around him had broken into what's and why's from every direction as everyone was surprised this new information.

"I'm sorry girls, but nine years ago I was ripped from Dimmer's body, I don't know how or what in his life lead him to that, though I imagine there is one among you that might know." He looked knowingly at Rei, she looked as stunned at the news as everyone else.

"He was going to go that far?! Kill!" Rei shouted as she tried marched towards the door while everyone suddenly grabbed on and pinned her down.

"Eh?! Oh no you don't! I just got 'im back to 'ealth! You ain't killin' anythin'! Beside if he hada went with the who suicide deal, he'd've been dead olong before you met 'im 'ere!" Arkand blurted out in as fine a Cape Breton accent as Dimmer ever had, as he picked her up by the shoulders, lifted her over his head, and sat her right back down where she was sitting.

Rei just glared at everyone who'd look in her direction. She was still going to kill him, she'd just have to wait until he could defend himself, that's all.

"There. Ahem…" Arkand coughed, "Where was I? Ah yes, the end. After finding the dimension that child was sent to, Fate searched for him specifically, and he found me. Though we are all unsure on whether or not I am the original boy who was sent from this dimension so long ago, I do carry that power, but most significantly true is I bare the wings of Valor. Unfortunately it was too late for my world, being there so long, Nightfall's power that allowed him to defy fate had grown. So much that any that had contact with me, had ever thought of me, thought of a thought that I once had, and lived on that world, was doomed to chaos, for no fate of theirs could ever be sealed. It was quite contagious, it wasn't long until most of their Canada was enveloped than their world.

I've spent the last couple centuries growing up again and again throughout different dimensions, taking the time to learn the last gift Nightfall left with us. The power of space. The Wings of Valor possess not only that power, but the ability to control that power. I was supposedly the embodiment of that power, stripped from Dimmer, in Fate's concern that the power, left not mastered, might someday cause harm to Dimmer, the people he cares for, or the world he lived in. I was supposed to be the end of Nightfall's rebellion, the last trace of it. Apparently though, Nightfall still had some tricks up his sleeve."

"Dimmer still has the wings of Valor, and a lot of power, and that power lead him here. You, nor this Fate, or this Guardian of Time, have any idea how or why, and this Fate is worried that Nightfall's last strike will be through Dimmer." Amy finished for him.

"Exactly right again!" Arkand smiled, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised Amy, but you really are quite remarkable."

Amy simply blushed.

"Was there any questions?"

"Who was Nightfall's beloved?"

"He had two actually. You Rei, were the first, and that love was the main reason all of this took place."

"What? Me? I don't know anything about any Nightfall!"

"Ah, but he knew very much about you, and you once knew very much about him. Three times this universe had to be reset and resealed by Fate, as the cycle was broken. Way back then he had went by a different name, he only took Nightfall on as his powerful persona. His first name was, can I get a drum roll please?"

THIS IS A DRUM ROLL FROM NOWHERE (kinda eerie isn't it? Hey! You're scared, I know you are…I know.. I.. I know you're not paying any attention to me..

--;; Dammit!)

"Arkand! That's right ladies and gents, and this wonderful, overused name can be yours too! All for three simple payments of $9,999.99! Guaranteed a Rei will love ya, or your money baACK!" He let out a quick yelp as the raven haired wonder dove for his throat, as the others tried to stop their laughing and hold her back.

"What-did-you-just-SAY?!" Rei accentuated each syllable by smacking the boy's head off the floorboards, she probably would've stopped sooner, but he just kept laughing like he enjoyed it, which only spurned her on. "You got a lot of nerve trying to say I love you like that!"

"Not what I meant! Honestly!" he held back her arms from his throat easily as he laughed. "Three times the cycle has been broken, this being the third, and each time the cycle was broken, you and a boy by the name of 'Arkand' stole your heart and you, his."

"Explain." Rei got off him and sat in a way that spoke that she could pounce again at any moment if he said something she didn't like.

"Sure, sure. Okay, the first time," He counted on his fingers, "It was Arkand, who chose to stand against the cycle Fate chose, he became Nightfall and fought Fate 'til he was forced to flee from this dimension.

The second time, was the time" He counted on the next finger, "'I' was sent here to grow up, as Arkand, I was about your age in this world, and more of a prankster than anything else. Which is why I am well used to Rei throttling me like that, I'm sure I had all of you throttle me at one point or another. I even had Luna throttle me once! That was a classic… ya see I replaced Serena's milk…"

"On with it!" Rei's head grew about fifty times as large as she shouted.

"Uh, yes'm!" Arkand quickly obeyed as he felt less than a foot tall.

"Aw, I wanted to hear about that one too…" Serena's quiet voice was heard in the background, it was abruptly ignored.

"Anyway, I should have listened to Fate's and the Guardian of Time's warnings, I ended up getting involved and broke the cycle myself. Once I learned of what it was your fate to be, I decided I had to do something to help. I ignored both their warnings, and joined you all in your battles against Beryl. Now the power balance was to far in our favor, every fight we won easily, and you guys never had a chance to learn everything that you needed to know. I helped too much. The moon princess wasn't able to learn how to use the silver emporium crystal in time. I thought I could stand up to Beryl for you, but I was wrong. We lost, you lost… It was then the wolf inside myself woke up, it was what destroyed Beryl in that cycle, and Fate fought me back to the state I'm in. I am here now to help prevent Dimmer from making the same mistake I did." He finished with a sigh, "I've given up everything, a home." He looked around the temple with a small smile, lost in his memories.

"Friends," He looked towards the group of people staring at them as if remembering them all from long ago.

"Even…" He gazed longingly at Rei but never finished his sentence, instead looking down at the floor.

"Third, and finally this cycle has once again been broken, and the three of us, The Council of Fate, The Guardian of time, and I, Night's Valor have been working our asses off to try to stop it from happening again. This time, through Dimmer."

Rei sat stunned at the news, the day at the hospital flooded back into her mind, It seemed to all make since, the kiss, those eyes, that smile… "How come I… How come we don't remember?"

"When resetting the cycle, we reset your memories as well. Wiping clean all you remember to a state that your universe could be cycled properly again. A task using the magic of time to wind back your minds to a more malleable time."

"So this Guardian of time wiped you and Nightfall from our memories?" Mina asked with a puzzled look."

"Yes and no Lita. Yes, After Nightfall's deeds it was her that wiped him from everyone's memory, but using the amounts of power of time I possess, I destroyed myself from your minds, doing so proved my loyalty in The Council's eyes. It was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do."

The room was silent for a few moments before Lita spoke up again. "If Nightfall's love was Rei, how did he take her with him, and still leave her here?"

"Ah, but I said he had two loves didn't I?" Arkand perked up, a smile quickly replacing the frown as the questions stopped being about himself… so to speak…, "During his timeless travels as he fled from space to space, we encountered another being, with more light than any we have ever found. Her names were many, much like Nightfall himself. Elendil was always the one I preferred, but I believe the one she was most known for, and the one she most favored was Artemis."

Everyone turned to look at the white cat, who's ear had twitched as Arkand said the name.

"Hey, it can be a guy's name too!."

Everyone just laughed, except for Luna, who was staring blankly into space. "Something wrong Luna?" Artemis nudged her softly and broke her out of her trance.

"Wha..? No." She shook the far away memories of their creator from her head. "Nothing at all."

"Good then, I believe there were a few of you that wanted to see Dimmer after I was done?"

Each of the girls looked at each other then stood up in turn.

"Please be quiet, he's resting now. He's as exhausted as everyone else here. It will take time for him to recover. His injuries are beyond even me. The wings themselves prevent me from healing him as much as I normally would be able to, but besides wounds of the body are the scars of the mind…" Arkand looked back silently, and knowingly toward the hall.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked worriedly, had Dimmer caught some unseen injury like shock or something worse that they didn't know about? Valor's sword was formed from a pure lightning bolt! Certainly it might have some added effects…

"No not what you're thinking Amy. He will have to deal with what he's done, that will be worse than anything I could do, and his decision here, may determine the question of Fate restoring itself in this world."

"You mean if he chooses you or Sundown right?"

"Yes and no." Arkand sighed, "Sundown, we believe is the remnants of Nightfall lurking through Dimmer's soul, at least the name he chose seems similar enough to be that. Sundown is a puzzle to us all, we know nothing about him. He's at the very least, Nightfall's last wild card."

"Well I've got some good news for you then. Dimmer has given up being Sundown! The transformations caused him a lot of pain, and we decided it would be better for him to depend on us to do our jobs." Rei smiled at the young boy half expecting the kid to jump with glee at her news, what she got was a forlorn stare.

Arkand watched her smile… He wished he could tell, wished he could abandon everything for her, just like he did before, but he knew all too well how that turned out. But that smile, it was almost worth the risk of anything for that smile. Thoughts of her bloodied corpse flooded his mind, and he shook his head. It was worth the risk of everything he had, except for that smile itself… Suddenly it clicked in, what she had said.

"It's true Rei. If he makes the right decision in the coming weeks, this nightmare will end for all of you, you'll be able to live happily under the Council of Fate's watchful eyes. Then we can be one again. Me… Dimmer…I can be a whole person again."

Rei didn't answer, instead she thought as she walked. Sundown too said Dimmer and he were one, but he also said Valor too was part of Dimmer, like they were 1/3 parts of Dimmer each, did Valor purposely leave out that fact? Rei guessed it didn't matter now anyway, Sundown was gone forever.

"Now if you are all ready to see him? Just come this way, try not to crowd him too much! And try not to wake him… It's been a long couple of weeks for all of you." Arkand whispered as he opened the door to let the group in.

Everyone looked in on the sleeping Dimmer. His breathing was even, he hardly ever looked so peaceful as he did when in deep sleep, but that might be mostly because he usually got very little sleep. His shirt was off, and his chest area was covered with bandages, obvious handiwork of Rei. He rolled a little in sleep, showing why the blankets were no longer on him and lying in a mess on the floor beside the bed. He must have kicked them off. The room was bathed in white light despite the closed curtains, and no lights on. It was this that grabbed the girl's attention first.

The wings had yet to go back to where they come from inside his back. Instead they were bandaged up like his arms and chest, they looked like the wings of a dove, only broken and deformed.

"I'll have to leave you all now. You will see me again though." Arkand's voice whispered into the quiet room, "Take care, I will be back by the week's end to check up on Dimmer, and with good news on Talenite."

Amy turned to face him, "Thank you Arkand You saved us all, healed us, and helped us in every way I can think of."

"Thank Fate Amy, without him, I couldn't have done any of this. I wouldn't even have known, take care of Dimmer, and I'll see you all when I come back." And at that he disappeared in the same light and tiny sparkles as Talenite's body had vanished into before.

She joined the group in checking on Dimmer, things no longer seemed right without him around, even if the smile had seemed to die off from his face for a while after his memories returned. It wasn't his smile anyway. It was his presence, it just came to feel right, like he belonged here…like.. like he belonged with her…. Not like he belonged with Rei though! It was something a little less than that she was sure, or perhaps it was something a little more than that?

She knew she was a smart girl and she recognized depression and it's symptoms when she felt it the two weeks before. She did her best to concentrate on other things. Talked to Talenite about the nature, and behavior of a werewolf, helped Greg coordinate the plans of evacuating the city and hiding its citizens in pre-designed shelters. She stayed up late into the morning with her studies like she always did. She did everything she possibly could do to keep her mind on things, anything to she could do to drive away the thoughts of having to hurt Dimmer, or how he had to be starving and lonely out in the cold, dark woods. She knew as a werewolf it wouldn't effect him much, but no matter what form he took he was still "her" Dimmer, and she worried herself sick while he was out there. Then when fighting the werewolf the only thing she could seem to think about was getting him back.

As she walked into the room most of the other girls parted to allow her room to see how he was. Rei was kneeling by his bed, the same way she always had whenever not being able to help with Valor's healing administrations,

"And where she better damn well be if she proclaimed to love 'her' Dimmer" Her mind stated.

She chased away the thought/threat her mind suddenly blurted out uncharacteristically. She didn't know why, but she had become a little vehement at the thought of Dimmer liking Rei, more then he did her. She was completely for the two, after all she loved Greg, and would never wish for more then what he was to her. She knelt beside Rei, and smiled at her. She loved these two, yet every time she looked at Rei and Dimmer, she felt almost as if she was losing something more close to her than anything else…

"They deserve each other, and will be good for one another." She thought to herself, and her envious feelings faded away. They were both great friends and she could hardly ask for more then that from them, and now that they got together, she was thrilled at the thought. She could tell how much they cared, the way Dimmer would watch Rei, and do everything he could to remain in her good favors, the nervous way he'd talk to her, the way he always spoke about her… the way Rei now tied up bangs away from his face in the hair clasps she had got for him, they must have fallen out during his transformation No one saw her pick them up. The golden-colored hair clasps reflected the supernatural light from the wings making them shine brilliantly.

Nevertheless, she felt she should be the one mothering Dimmer. So she did, as she got up and tucked the blankets in a little tighter.

Dimmer smiled in his sleep, and snuggled in closer to the blankets.

Amy felt herself smile softly, pressed her lips to her fingers, and her fingers to his forehead in a affectionate gesture, then found a seat on the other side of the futon he was on, opposite of Rei.

Rei tried not to watch as Amy claimed the other side of Dimmer's bed, and tried not to grit her teeth the second that hand reached Dimmer's unconscious form. She knew Amy and Dimmer were close, but it was only times like this that you could ever really tell how close. In front of others, they'd mostly argue, but the way they smiled when they did it, the way he made jibes at her, and had gotten her to make jibes back… well you could tell…

The first person he ever seen as he entered their world, and for a while the only thing he'd be able to remember was her face… The only person that could even understand him when he talked…

That would have an effect on anybody, but Amy's huge amount of affection stemmed from somewhere else, she never seemed this close to anyone else. She didn't think Amy would move in on Dimmer, she would have done so already, and everyone knew her feeling towards Greg. But seeing the touch of her fingers to Dimmer's forehead like that… well she remembered that type of kiss. Dimmer gave something akin to it to her, the night before the Negaverse attacked, and this insanity commenced…. She imagined she could still taste his fingers on her lips.

And now...

Now he lay so still in front of her, his rest deep, and peaceful…

"He looks like an angel…" Serena whispered into the silent room.

Darien felt no twinge of jealousy. He simply smiled quietly while watching Serena's eyes twinkle, reflecting the mystical light. Her eyes looked so happy again, so full of hope.

An angel…

It's strange how such a being as an angel, that for all anybody could tell, was nothing more then fiction, could inspire such hope, such happiness...

He looked to Dimmer hoping to see what she seen, but his eyes also took in the reality of the situation, the bloodied bandages wrapped mostly around him, and pikened siking along their outskirts, hinting at the large bruises that lay under them. The slight tinge of pink glowing from the wings from bloodstains. Dimmer indeed looked like an angel, but he looked like one that was fallen and broken…

He slowly, and slightly shook his head. To him, it was a disheartening sight. He watched Serena as she continued to stare…

"How does she manage to only ever see the good side of things like that?" It was a question his mind thought on constantly lately. In the moments of near giving up, and he few small periods of rest he managed to get in the woods, his dreams now always strayed to her. Her and that constant bright outlook, and how much he wanted to protect all the good she was able to see, all those things that could cause those eyes to smile like they did now at her returned friend. The more of her he seen the more she surprised him. With her strength, courage and with a light that shined from within that could outshine Valor's wings any day of the week… was that the power Arkand talked about tonight, did he have that power as well? That ability to see the good in people, it was indeed powerful.

Luna was snuggled up to Artemis, as she looked on. They had done it. Dimmer was back with them, in time his injuries would be healed, and Amy was already very close to solving the riddle that kept them away from the Negaverse.

They would have Chad back soon after that. Then the group would be together again, in a few days everyone would be healed, and they could fight off the Negaverse's attacks at full force once more. The decision to follow Fate would be made, and victory would be practically given to them.

She looked on as Artemis stared up, he was somewhat worried about Dimmer, he was very quiet, and somewhat contemplative since he came back. She hadn't gotten to ask what it was like in the Negaverse, how he got out, how he managed to survive in enemy territory for two whole weeks all by himself. Just a cat… no…

He wasn't just a cat was he? He was something much, much more. And so was she. And now… she'd never forget it… But then she had been told tonight, that their creator is the cause of Fate's inability to do it's job, but he was still a good person, even Arkand said that. A good person with different beliefs, that began a war that spanned both time and space.

Artemis for his part, stared up at the hurt young man in front of him. Luna's eyes on himself was making him nervous so he avoided her gaze. He never apologized for that last fight they had, and she was still snuggling up to him… that Luna would opt to stay close to him despite him not admitting his fault to whatever argument they had… well it was rather hard to comprehend. He didn't even think she'd notice he was gone, it was only two weeks after all. The last fight like that they had, she didn't speak to him, even see him again for a month in a half! As far as his relationship with her had gone before he had always had only two options.

He could be right, or he could be happy.

He couldn't count the number of times he went against every belief he had and went with the famous answer to that question, he chose to be happy. Just so he could remain close to her. So the situation for him right now left him feeling awkward…

Instead he found his gaze turned toward Dimmer. He often felt his gaze fall on that young man. Wondering about him, about his injuries. He felt an affection for him like he felt for few others… he didn't know why. He knew ,though, that affection, or maybe instinct? Lead him straight to Dimmer when they came across the werewolf in the park. And that wasn't the first time. He always seemed to know exactly where Dimmer was when he went looking for him for some reason.

He could only guess at it's meaning, and he was just now realizing this ability was even occurring… It was quiet, and lonely in those caves. He couldn't speak, not if he wanted to live. He learned how to plan things out in his mind before going to do something, and he learned how to think quick many times to avoid capture. It felt good being here, beside his friends, in and out of the dark and the cold. He only wished Dimmer was awake, and wasn't going to be through a whole lot of pain when he finally did wake up.

Mina watched happily as Luna snuggled up to Artemis. "Cat's really can blush…" She thought as she giggled to herself as his white fur was rather poor at hiding it. There was no one else in the world she was as close to as she was to Artemis. She realized this when he had left. Absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder, it just makes people realize what they hadn't noticed they had, until it went missing…

Serena noticed and looked questioningly at her.

Mina gave her a quick glance then turned her eyes back toward the felines.

Serena took the hint and followed Mina's gaze. She smiled. Her thoughts on the matter of Luna and Artemis? "It's about damn time!"

She joined in with Mina in her giggling.

Lita rewarded the two cats with a smirk. The sight of Dimmer as he was now, hadn't helped her mood any. She wanted to see justice for what happened to Ken, instead all she got was another hurt friend, and thoughts on how she was responsible for part of it. She had started to love his attitude, his way of thinking. She was lucky to find the schedule Dimmer made for them, but she had stopped going by it. Instead, she had started going by a much different schedule, a much more advanced and dangerous one. Dimmer's. She found it while looking for more tips and stuff in his room, to her surprise there were notepads scattered about the place all filled with notes, tips, and diagrams of what not to do, and what to look out for.

Everyone kept saying it came naturally to him, so this really surprised her. He had put so much work into it, and she doubted even he realized how much. It, for a certainty, came as a natural talent for him, but what made him so great was all the work he put into it besides that. His philosophies were a load of bull, and he knew it. It was probably what she liked so much about them. They were mostly about figuring out human limits, then discarding them, so humans could soar past anything anybody thought they could do. So what was some of the bull?

One of those human limits was called the laws of physics. He had proven, even without the aid of magic these laws could be dismissed and discarded, just like everything else that tried to put limits on what they could do.

But it surprised her how it worked, as long as you believed you could be better, you could be, as long as you believed it was possible, it was, and as long as you did everything you could to attain it, you would.

Sure it was more of a romantic sounding phrase by some idealist somewhere, not meant to actually work in reality, but it was working! By believing she could be better and all she had to do was strive to attain it, she could tell just how far she had come. Like her sensei, she had even taken to sleeping only a few hours each night, she was so excited to start her training again the next day, she was always looking forward to seeing what Dimmer would have done that day. She was always wondering, "Just how much stronger will I be after this? How much further will I go today?!"

And now the strongest person she'd ever met, lay down on a bed before her, sleeping like a fallen angel sleeps… She hadn't realized how much respect she had for this guy until seeing him like that. It just didn't seem right to see a guy like that near death on a bed, it was strange how this was her second time seeing him like that.

Seeing the two cats together, it reminded her that there were other things then just being strong. Dimmer found that out, there were a lot of personal notes written along side of those martial art notes he made. She knew that Dimmer wasn't letting to the surface all of his feelings, most he kept hidden away in a place where no one could find them. She remembered reading Rei had found that place. Like a cycle this just focused her mind once again on Ken.

"We should go." Lita spoke quietly.

"Yes, Dimmer has a lot to recover from, and so do you girls. Get a good night sleep tonight. You all made me very proud today." Luna whispered and turned looked up to the girls, you could hear the pride in her voice as she spoke.

"Yeah, that's right. We've all been through a lot today. And don't forget, everyone has school in the morning." Artemis gave them all a teasing glance.

There was a collective female "aaaaaaawwwww" at this, as all the teenage girls shuffled out the door. Darien simply shook his head as he followed behind Serena. It would be the first time in college in two weeks, he probably failed the year now, lost honors for a certainty, but it was somehow worth it.

"Hey Rei? Amy? You two will be okay?" Serena poked her head back in the door.

"We'll be fine, meatball head. Now go on, get some sleep, you can't afford to miss anymore school."

Serena stuck her tongue out at Rei and smiled a good bye at Amy before her head disappeared around the corner again.

"When is that girl going to grow up?" Rei's voice came out as a low whispered growl.

"Probably when time itself dies of old age." Came an injured, quiet voice.

The voice startled Rei. She wasn't expecting any kind of answer, Amy always seemed to keep her own opinions to herself when it came to Serena's and Rei's arguments. It was safer that way. Both girls looked at each other slowly then down to see Dimmer's tired eyes barely open.

"Rei, cut 'er some slack, she's only fourteen, she's just a kid…" Dimmer yawned, and gave a pained look to Amy as he sat up on his elbows, he took notice of his hand in hers.

"Hey Aimes, you weren't worried 'bout me were ya? Thought you knew by now that there ain't nothin that keeps me down for very long."

"Dimmer!" The two girls squealed and were about to glomp onto the boy when a pair of strong arms stopped them.

"Watch it ladies! That's a rather hurt person you're trying to hug, there."

At this they were quickly let go, before turning around to see a plain clothes police officer, standing there grinning like a mad man.

"John!" both stopped in surprise before looking at Dimmer's wings then back at him.

"Hey! Don't worry, I can keep a secret. I knew about the wings and every injury Dimmer had, along with how I would have to hurry up here without him and my partner just to stop you two from breaking those big feather dusters anymore then what they are. Greg's already told me all about everything.

"What? Who?" Rei looked around dumbfounded, while a large, knowing smile started to make itself known on Amy's face. "He's here?"

"Of course?" Greg panted, a little short of breath, trying to come in back first through the door.

"Greg! What a surprise, What are you doing here?" Amy got up quickly to help him with whatever he seemed to be pulling through the door.

After fighting with the door a little, and before Amy could see what he was doing, Greg managed to back in far enough to turn the wheelchair he was pushing around.

"I came to see how Dimmer was doing. And I figured he could use the company."

"Pidge! What happened?!" It was Dimmer's hurt, and surprised voice that sounded out behind the girls. He squeezed his own eyes shut in obvious pain as he sat up completely now, slowly bringing the wings with him. Both girls were immediately beside his bed helping him.

"What? This? That blonde monster woman decided to clip my spine with whatever she shot at me. This is nothing. You're in more of a mess then I am, just look at yourself."

"Heh, I'd rather not." Dimmer tried to take it in stride…

where was he again? Why did his back hurt so much? Where was that weird light coming from? And what was that sudden mental flash that woke him up? It was like de jah vu of what Greg must've went through to get up the long stairs to the temple with the wheel chair in tow, all by himself. What happened to Pidge? What happened? Where was Chad?!

"Guys, Chad! He went off toward the docks!"

"Shhh… we know Dimmer, we'll explain it all later."

"You look like you've got a lot of questions kid." Pidge said, as he wheeled himself over taking Amy's spot beside the bed.

"Yeah, you could say that. Last thing I remember, I was in the woods, with… Talenite… we were watching you guys fight, and when the demon was summoned… I ran, it's all I remember, running.. " He looked downward in a way that showed he was concentrating hard, trying to remember what happened… he was having a dream. It was an awesome one, he was visiting a far off place, a place that now only existed for him in memories, but once it was his reality… wasn't it? He dreamed about Mike, he looked so lonely, but then, Mike always looked lonely. He talked to him in his dream. They talked for hours, of what was happening to each other, and what they had learned. He felt free somehow just talking to him, like part of himself that was missing had come back, if just for a little while, he remembered his words, "You're not alone Dimmer… We're here, I'm here. Even if it's only in memories and dreams, I am here."

Mike had told him he was famous in that place, that you couldn't go down the street with out hearing his name from people. He said they were looking for a way to get him out, he said they were close to finding it.

All they needed was his help.

But that was just a dream… so he tried to concentrate further before a hand was placed on his shoulder.

Broken out of his thoughts of dreams he looked up to the raven haired beauty staring down at him in concern, and wondered if he had strayed into another dream. She was so beautiful, caring, loving, it was surreal. How? Why? The answers he'd never learn, he knew it didn't matter, as long as she was real, and as long as how he felt for her was real…

"Dimmer, shhh, it might be better if you didn't remember some things…" she spoke in a quiet, caring voice. It wasn't a voice one heard often coming from Rei. He smiled as he listened to her, she usually chose to show her concern for people in a much louder way. "It's been two weeks since you last remember."

"What?! Not again…"

"Huh?" everyone looked startled.

"What do you think?! For the longest time I couldn't remember anything about me, now I just missed out on two more weeks of my life, which I gather must have sucked, cause Pidge is in a wheel chair, Amy and Rei look like they've been through hell and back, Chad and Talenite ain't here, and I'm in bed, feeling like I got hit by 5 consecutive busses, with a new pair of wings, and no memories of what happened!"

"Dummy!" Rei swatted him, "Don't get so worked up! Besides that, we all worked our asses off trying to get you to this point, you ungrateful twerp!"

"Ow! Okay, okay! Sheesh…"

Most people in the room laughed, the mood started to actually become a little bit more cheered up.

"Well Dimmer, let me fill help you in with some current events. Chad's on the MIA list since that scuffle with the demon two weeks ago."

"Not anymore Pidge, he showed up today, he's been brainwashed by the Negaverse."

"Wha?" Dimmer looked to Amy, "That was supposed to be Darien…Shit, fate really is screwed up now..."

"Not exactly" Greg volunteered, "Though I still haven't got my gift for the future completely back, and though that was supposed to be the way things happened Dimmer, Fate is changing it's plans to suit what really did happened."

"Well at least there's that."

Pidge coughed, "If you'll allow me to continue?"

"Oh yeah sorry Pidge, I wanna hear this, that just caught me off guard."

"Understandable. The scouts went through a rather large fight yesterday trying to bring you to your current condition, probably against the most powerful opponent they've ever fought."

"What did Beryl send after you guys now? And what the heck did it do to me?"

"Nevermind that for now Dimmer, some things can wait." He felt Rei give a slight squeeze to the shoulder her hand was on. She hadn't moved it since she had swatted him. Dimmer nodded and turned back to Pidge.

"As you know, you've grown wings, and there's not a soul here that can tell you why. Once again you've managed to baffle us all, and I'm beginning to wonder if you'll be anything other then a mystery to us." Amy and REi stared at each other but kept hteir mouths shut. An explanation for another time.

"Heh, sorry Pidge, and before you guys ask, no, people from my world don't have wings."

"Your world?"

"Do yourself a favor John, don't ask." Dimmer shook his head, and brought a hand up to rub his temples, he was starting get a headache besides everything else.

"Fair enough, but I'll wanna hear about it after you're feeling better."

"Sure thing. Sounds like you've all had quite a time of things, how's everyone else?"

"They're fine Dimmer, you just missed them. They'll probably be by tomorrow to see you. We're not the only ones who had big week, you must be tired yourself. Try to get some sleep."

"Well that might be a little difficult…" Dimmer turned back to the wings, moving slowly so not to rip himself open, "I've never slept on wings before, it can't be comfortable…"

"I'll go fix you something to help that," Rei said getting up, "I've been looking into Grandpa's medicine books, and I found a nice tea recipe that's good for making someone sleep."

"Uh… right" Dimmer sweatdropped, she was probably looking for that for sometime before this, she always hated his sleeping habits. Rei wasn't far from slipping things into people's tea if she thought it was in their best interest … "thanks…"

"I think that's our cue to leave Pidge, hey Dimmer, it's good to see you up eh? Keep those spirits up we're all rooting for you here."

"The whole force, we're all in this together. Coming Greg?" Pidge waved good bye as John turned him around and wheeled him out.

"In a minute." He looked to Amy, "you need a way home Amy?"

"Yeah, now that I know Dimmer's alright. That okay Dimmer?"

"Yeah sure, go on, have fun you two," he winked at Greg, who blushed almost half as much as Amy.

Amy gave him a playful swat, "You stop that. Take care Dimmer." She leaned over to hug him, taking care to stay away from most of the sore spots on his back, which happened to take up most of his back…

"You too Aimes." He hugged her back, whatever happened must have put everyone through a lot of worryin' to treat me like this' he thought to himself. Ah well can't be as bad as falling off Tokyo tower and getting hit by lighting twice…

She released Dimmer and waved as she walked out the door Greg held opened for her. Greg looked back in on Dimmer, there was an awkward silence between the two, You could tell Greg was searching for something to say.

"Dimmer, you alright?" it was all he could come up with, it didn't matter he was certain Dimmer understood.

"Yeah, no worries b'y. You take care with her right?"

"Of course," Greg stared after Amy, and then back to Dimmer. He knew Dimmer didn't know yet, there was no way for him to know. It was so obvious to him, didn't anyone else see it? But being the only one to know, it put Greg in a place where he didn't know what to say. He knew they would find out soon enough. "You take care of yourself from now on okay? We're all worried about you."

"Like I said, no worries." What was this? And why was it coming from Greg of all people? "Worries only make people die quicker. Things'll work out. You shouldn't keep her waitin' ya know? Doin' that to girls tends not to be good for your health."

Greg nodded, smiled and waved as he slid close the door behind him. He sighed. Greg had known for a while now, but he couldn't come out and say it, people would think he's insane… He had to let them discover it for themselves. Though Greg's main power of telling the future seemed weaker then it used to be, all of the limited abilities his powers had before seemed to be strengthening. Being able to tell what's happening in the present for one, some images of the past, and still a few in the future, but recently a newer ability seemed to come to him. The power of telepathy, or see into another's mind. He had just done so with Dimmer, and what he saw there, confirmed what he had saw in the images. He remembered his first flashes into the future and present, he had no idea what to make of it then, but he could tell what they were now. And he just witnessed Dimmer experiencing the same type of thing. Dimmer was born with his abilities. Although obviously no where near as strong… and he looked so much like her, he smiled, anything that reminded Greg of her made him smile. But what did Dimmer's ability showing itself mean? Dimmer having a bit more of an edge against enemies maybe? That's good. He was proud of him, as proud as he could be.

He remembered what Dimmer had said, he had things worked out, not to worry… Once again Greg sighed to himself. "I'm sorry Dimmer, the worries for you are just beginning, but I trust you. It's the least I can do, after all, you are my …"

"Greg!" Amy called out, much more cheerful then she had been for the last two weeks. It was good seeing her back to her old self again. "Come on! We have to go! Don't keep the officers waiting!"

"Okay Amy, I'm coming now."

Sailor Moon Says!

"Hi again, Sailor moon here! Today Lita was feeling really guilty. All of her vengeful feelings, only turned to regret. They always seem to. Vengeance is always wanting more, and never leaves you satisfied, it only ever leaves you with guilt, knowing you've accomplished nothing but hurting someone. In the end it isn't really worth it, especially over small things. Remember, for whatever reason you have, everything you do to get back at them is all towards the goal of hurting someone... a grudge will hurt you more then it can ever hurt them.

Reality Check:

Author "to hell with you guys! This chapter took long enough! P

Reviewers Ahoy:

Ishkabod: Dude! thanks for the reviews, hopefully more laughs came your way sometime during this chapter. Indeed such was my first fight scene ever. I may try going that detailed again after this. Might help stop that DBZ thing from happening.

Hart: Eh yo again Hart! Hope ya haven't completely forgot about me. Yes the story with the monkey kid is indeed Dragonball (notice no 'Z' so refers to the first series) you may have noticed references to a couple other anime throughout this fic, like say Ranma 1/2, and Slayers.

As for little girl killing? Well, actually it was written in the diagram of the chapter to kill her to show just how sick, twisted, and uncaring the werewolf could be. Talenite just kinda jumped in there on his own without my permission, which is why I have to bring him back so quickly! Jeez, he still has some major plot lines to deliver…

The end was confusing? I thought I made it clear… oh well, try to remember all reality checks should be kinda tacked on to each other, they'll make sense as its own part of the story, I swear! As for updating soon? Heh… heh…ugh… read formal apology below?

Sonar de mercury: Done and done.

**Endnotes: **

All readers have my apologies. I ended last time saying "with any luck" well, I was quite incorrect, for one manner of luck harassed me much. The manner of luck known as 'bad'. I had indeed finished this chapter, and in fact another after it, when a multiple amount of evil viruses decided it was high time to eat my hard drive.

And so they did.

And so I cried.

After buying a new cpu, months of trying to force myself to rewrite my precious lost chapters, and was near to throwing it all away, someone came to me with copies of the chapters I sought. Horrid, unedited chapters of painful reading, that I have edited and put here now, Valor's explanation was completely missing from this chapter and was rewritten from scratch, and now I must go back and read through so much fic in order to stop the plot holes from swallowing it whole.

I have no idea how long til next update, but I'll try to make it somewhat quicker than the last 7 or so !?MONTHS?!

Ugh, anyway, I am extremely sorry about keeping all of you waiting. It has been a most… umm… frustrating… time, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter to make up for it. Peace.


	35. Falling into Hot Water!

"So Dimmer, … can you help us?"

"I'm not sure if I can… I don't even know how I got here…" He lifted his face up to the sky to feel the sea breeze coming off the harbor.

"Dimmer… do you want to help us…?"

"I… I.." He wasn't sure, he sat in the sand and watched the white tips of the waves as they rolled unto his beach only to slowly roll back out… They've done that for years, and he was always at this same spot watching them. Watching the tide roll in and out again, alone. This is what he knew, this is what he felt comfortable with. Here, at the end of his island, a harbor that led to the sea and beyond to the rest of the world. The end of his home… or was it his home anymore?

"I know, it's hard to answer…" Mike plopped down in the sand beside him carelessly. "Why come back to a place that treated you like shit, from the place we both always dreamed of going?"

"Because you're not here maybe?" Dimmer smiled at his friend, it didn't seem fair to him that only he should was the only one that made it here, especially for a reason he had no idea why. Not when it was always the two of them that dreamt of this place.

"Don't worry 'bout me b'y. It's cool enough that 'you' managed it somehow. That's like 100 better than anything we ever hoped for eh?"

"Yeah," Dimmer smiled, there was no disagreeing with that. "But you deserve this place more than I ever did."

"No I don't."

Sighing, Dimmer shook his head, he wondered if he'd ever be able to convince Mike just how much Mike meant to him, how much Mike meant to that world and so many of the people in it. How Mike alone had made it worth living in… he thought of Mitchell and Katie, and he looked back to the sea. All Mike seemed to see was the pain in life, and the hurt of his friends, and instead of putting the blame where it belongs he always found a reason for it to be his fault. "Why can't we see the good in ourselves? Why do we only ever see the flaws?"

"Guess they stick out more."

"Yeah."

"I'll be back tomorrow night, and every night until you make your decision."

"I'd like that."

"Yeah," Mike stopped looking at the sea, to watch the golden colored hair clasps in Dimmer's hair wrapped tightly around his bangs slowly swaying with the sea breeze. The clasps that Rei had given him, even in his dreams of home, there they were. Mike doubted Dimmer could even think of what life without her was like anymore. He looked away quickly so his hair would hide his face from his friend's view. "So will I, man. So will I."

"Something feels weird …"

"s'that?""

"It's winter out, but it feels warm despite the breeze."

"Your memory is as good as ever, I see. Don't forget Dimmer…," Mike smiled out at the sea through the blur of his tears, somehow he knew his friend would not be coming home anytime soon…if ever. "You're dreaming."

A slow creep of warmth traveled its way across his skin, as the sunlight filled his window. It was a nice change to the storm that had finally broken that morning. He yawned and stretched and found himself gasping a little as some extra limbs stretched out with his arms, two large feather dusters stretched instinctively along with them. He felt each pin and needle that seemed to go through all of his bruises, cuts, and burns. It seemed like they covered the length of his body.

He stretched anyway, pointedly ignoring the pain. It was nothing.

"Bloody…! Agh!" He let out a frustrated breath as he realized in order to stretch fully he'd need a bigger room…

"Forgot to account for wing span…" He sighed.

Every stride caused pain in some part of different part of his body, but he ignored that too. He faced a lot worse. He wondered what had happened the last few weeks, he wondered about Chad, and what would happen to him, what the Negaverse would want with him of all people?

He remembered them trying to kidnap all the crystal bearers in one episode, but Chad wasn't even in that one. He only played one part in the Sailor Moon world and it was as Rei's wannabe boyfriend. Dimmer sighed, he wondered how much it hurt for him to watch as Rei and himself grew closer… Watching the love of his life, the one fated to be his, watch another.

He slowly got up, letting some of the bandages around his arms unravel themselves. There was still so much he had to do here So much about the future he had to warn them about, Serena hadn't even guessed she was the moon princess yet… how could he just leave?

"You are not needed to guide them, that is the duty of Fate. " It was a black, sarcastic whisper that came from the back of his mind, there was some sarcastic humor in it's tone, he recognized the growl to the voice … It was a voice, he swore, would never escape again. The voice of Sundown…

"You're the one who ain't needed, in fact I thought I already was done with you." Dimmer narrowed his eyes and a wisp of wind flooded the room with it's eerie sound. "Go away…"

"Well then, if that's the case I'll just take this back to grandpa," Dimmer's eyes went wide as Rei's angry voice rose behind him. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind it!"

A large sweat drop quickly formed on the back of his head as he started waving his hands frantically, as Rei turned and left out his door in a fit, with his breakfast.

"Aww Rei!! I wasn't talking to you! Honest!"

He swore he could hear Sundown chuckling at him.

He watched his prize student plea with his granddaughter, for his food, as she laid the plate before him.

"Here grandpa, at least I know you'll appreciate it."

"Oh your care for your dear grandpa fills this old man with pride!" He smiled as he took a large portion of the eggs and bacon for up in a single mouthful. "Even if it is only to get back at a certain someone." He spoke again with his mouthful.

Rei blushed. She wasn't used to cooking western style anything, but she went through the trouble this morning for Dimmer. She was expecting Dimmer not be able to even get out of bed, and had planned to take care of him for the whole day, she carefully stole a glance behind her to see him tearfully watch the breakfast she made for him go to her grandfather.

"Serves him right." She nodded to herself and headed out to the dojo. "Besides that, he wouldn't even admit it! Someone else indeed! No one else was even in the room! So who else could he have been… talking …to…?" She had made it the door of the dojo before wincing in mid-sentence.

It was Dimmer she was talking about, The guy who had angel wings sticking out of his back at the moment. He was capable of just about anything. Still she was kinda disappointed that he was already up and walking about, as bad as it sounded. She was really looking forward to looking after him.

"The idiot is probably hurting himself more with every step he takes." She sighed, then stopped, and re-thought that through, "Wait a minute! That's probably exactly what he's doing!"

Dimmer, smiled as he just finished putting his Gi on. It'd been a while since he practiced, and though it wouldn't feel the same without Chad around, it would still feel good to ware himself down a little bit. He turned to leave his room just as the sounds of fast paced stomping feet came down the hall… he looked at his bandaged wings, and chest… a sudden realization came over him, and he looked up frantically in time to see his door slam open. Dimmer was caught in Rei's sights like a deer looks up to see car headlights. "I'm in trouble…"

"DIMMER!" Rei's eyes seemed to burn with the fire, as she stepped forward…

"Hey Serena?"

"Yeah mom?" Serena questioningly glanced up at her mother sleepily, in her pink Pj's she went to bed in, toothbrush half hanging out of her mouth.

"Serena, you look terrible!"

Serena gave her mom a dead panned look "Gee, thanks."

"I mean it Serena, is something wrong? You look so tired lately, and you're always come home covered in bruises. Is there something going on you want to talk about honey?"

"Oh no mom! Everything's just fine! Believe me, you'd be the first to know if anything wasn't right?" Serena looked up at the ceiling, laughing nervously as she tried to cover up the limp from her sprained ankle. "I'm just being extra klutzy lately, that's all! And I just woke up for school right? Of course I'm gonna look tired!"

"You? Up on time for school? Now I know that something's wrong… You know what? I know just what you need, to perk you right back up."

"You do?" Serena asked puzzled.

Her mother smiled.

"Hot springs?!"

The scouts had gathered for another meeting at the temple, and Serena was smiling.

"That's right! My mom thought of it. They're supposed to be great for healing the body and soul right? They we're going to go last week, but held it off cause I seemed so busy. It's perfect!"

"You might actually be on to something meatball head." Rei stretched as she imagined soaking herself in the soothing naturally heated water.

Dimmer blushed, in spite of himself, as he pictured the same thing, but remained quiet for personal health reasons.

"She's right." Artemis agreed, "Great idea Serena. We all went through a lot of stuff over the last two weeks, and there's still a lot more to come. I think it would do us all good to take this time to relax a bit."

"I'm not sure… I have a lot to … catch… up… on…" Darien's decision slowly broke down as Serena gave him one of her sad puppy dog looks. "I'm going to fail for sure…" he sighed. Before the words were out of his mouth Serena already had him in a hug.

"Sounds good to me." Lita put in laughingly while rubbing at some bruises, "I don't know about you all, but I definitely could use a bit of time to heal…"

"I don't know…"

"Oh come on Amy, you can't say 'no' to a hot spring!" Serena butted in.

"No, it's a good idea Serena," Amy smiled, reassuring her friend, but gestured towards Dimmer. "I just don't know if it's such a great idea right now…"

"She may have a point girls." Dimmer frowned as he tried to move one of his wings, only to have it plop down on his face, muffling his voice, "It's not exactly gonna be easy to hide these things from public view, and before you suggest it Serena, no I can't fly. Right now I can't even lift these things normally, with these bandages on, they feel like they weigh a freakin ton."

Serena sighed.

"But you girls could go without me if ya want."

"No way Dimmer! Not after this morning!" Rei gave him a glare that froze every thought of that. "I'm not letting this doof out of my sight, can you believe he was going to try to train like that?! Look at him! He's more broken then he is in health, and he was going to try to train!!"

"Way to go Dimmer." Lita gave him a playful swat to the back of the head, "trying to hurt yourself even more eh?"

He scratched the back of his head and smiled up at her, "What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment."

"Well, you are that alright." Amy sighed, "You most certainly can't train in that kind of condition, and I don't plan to let you have the chance to try while everyone else is gone to the hot springs."

"Awww, Amy… I wasn't gonna…much… just enough to get these wings into better shape."

"What would be good for your wings, Dimmer, " Amy gave him a cross look, "is for you to give them a chance to heal."

"…" Dimmer looked away with a small pout, there was no point in arguing with her after she put her foot down…

The pout didn't last too long as he pulled out a bag of cheesy poofs from under one of the floorboards behind him, and started munching down.

"Dimmer, sometimes your as bad as…" Rei laughed.

Serena, started popping up all around him grabbing at the cheesy poofs at incredible speeds while he tried to fend her off.

"Serena!" Rei finished her sentence with a large sweatdrop on the back of her head.

"Mmph! Hey, Mwaht isth, thasth suthosed to mphean...?" Serena asked with her mouthful, as Dimmer took the opportunity to go hide behind Darien to finish his snack.

"I swear, they're like two little kids!" Rei huffed angrily as she picked up her broom and stomped over toward them both.

"Uh oh..." Dimmer and Serena yelped in unison.

"As if she's any different during one of her and Serena's tiffs." Lita whispered into Amy's ear jokingly.

Luna sweatdropped and Amy laughed quietly as the scene unfolded in front of them. Serena trying to catch Dimmer, while spouting comebacks at Rei, who was yelling and chasing after both of them with her broom.

Artemis watched the scene in good cheer until he looked at his charge. Mina had been quiet throughout the talk and was now staring out a window. He walked over to her.

"You okay?"

Mina looked down at her long time friend and smiled, as he effortlessly jumped up to the windowsill, to talk face to face.

"I… I guess…" She scratched behind his ear. "Everyone's talking about fun again, everyone's having a good time… how come it feels like something's still missing… are they forgetting?"

"No Mina. They don't forget Chad. Look at them, they're having fun, but they know someone's missing. Serena seems to be trying to fill in for Chad right now, but I guarantee they're all thinking about him right now too."

"Are you sure Artemis?" She watched them go, smiles on their faces, no hint of the loss of friends, no sign of what happened last week, Dimmer hardly even knew what they'd been through… No one had the heart to tell him… It was silently agreed that no one would even dare to mention Talenite's name.

She thought she could see a tear fall from the corner of Rei's eye as she batted Serena a good one with her broom.

"Take my advice, you could use some down time to relax just like the rest of them. If we all keep working like this, non-stop, we'll lose for sure. Besides, I'm certain, they miss him as much as you do." Artemis smiled watching the puzzled look in Dimmer's eyes. There seemed like a large overwhelming concern coming from those eyes, trying to remember what was lost, longing to know where his friend had disappeared…The concern seemed to grow incredibly in an instance!

The world started spinning and was suddenly full of pain with every step Dimmer took, it left Artemis in a strange dizzy spell, Mina swiftly caught her feline friend not more than a moment after he slipped of the window ledge.

"Artemis! Are you alright?!" Mina quickly kneeled down to the ground still holding the white feline.

"Yeah, just a little dizzy spell, that's all." Artemis shook his head clear of cobwebs, the feeling receded as suddenly as it came to call.

"Are you sure? Is that all it is?" Luna rushed over worried, Artemis had never suffered from anything like that to her knowledge…

Artemis instinctively looked to Dimmer, who, with everyone else, was staring at him.

"Worried… He feels worried…?" Artemis thought to himself, "But how …?" He closed his eyes.

DREAM SEQUENCE COMMENCE

"Artemis?"

It was a familiar voice from long ago… old and wise… and tearful…

"Yes. That's the one I choose…"

"My son, why that…?"

"She deserves to be remembered… If I have to leave, then I want this name. It's something that will always remind me of you. A name that means so much to you, so that you'll never forget me…"

"My Son…" The old man left the gnarled staff lying where it was when he fell, and instead picked up the white feline kitten, barely more than a year old, and tickled him under the chin, immediately causing the kitten to purr. He could feel the tears that had started to well up in his own eyes.

"You, I could forget you as easily as I could forget joy, and friendship, which is not at all. For you give me both. My Son…"

"Father, They're all just being stupid they'll come to their senses one day, you'll see! I'll make them, I'll travel throughout the universe and convince them all if I have to."

"No my Son, they will discover for themselves, and perhaps it is a blessing in disguise… yes, perhaps, just perhaps there will be much to come of this…"

"Like what Father?"

"Maybe an end to the story you're so fond of? Or maybe a new beginning for it, yes?

"Father what do you mean? You mean the tale of Artemis? The one of you and her? In the forest right?!"

"Yes, yes my boy. That one and so many more… Perhaps a new beginning for myself?" The old man let that cat down, before lifting himself up with strain. "But tell me my Son, why do you care so much for such an old tale?"

"Because, I wish there were more of her kind, I wish she were here now to help you. Won't it be lonely on our comet without us?"

"I guarantee it." The old man laughed, "it definitely won't feel the same without my two favorite kittens getting under foot, but if that is what you worry about, fear not, there is yet another living on our little rock even you do not know about…"

"Really Father? Where?"

"She rests in a clock without hands."

Artemis frowned at his answer. "Father? Why the riddle?"

"It is not, but I'm afraid you've never heard of such a device before. So it's hard to explain. Ah, but I'm sorry, it is not her time to awaken yet, or else the council might think I've gone and did some more of their lawbreaking. Artemis and I created her so very long ago now. She rests now, just as she wishes, she is still but a child, but she is a child born of light."

"Really! Of light! Just like…"

"Yes my son like the one whose name you chose, she is my daughter, and also the daughter of…"

DREAM SEQUENCE COMPLETED

"Artemis…"

Artemis opened his eyes and looked around quickly, startled at the blanket now tucked in around him.

"Woah, that was one weird dream…"

"Artemis! You're awake!" Mina called out cheerfully.

"Yeah, and I think I just had the weirdest dream I've ever had since the first time you showed me catnip."

"Ya feelin' okay then little buddy?" Dimmer looked down, relieved.

"Yeah, I'm fine. See?" He got up and walked around, then jumped up on Mina's shoulder, "good as new. "

"Well I gotta agree with Serena girls, yer all in need of a break, even the mooncats are fallin' over themselves."

"And you too, right Dimmer?" Rei glared at him.

He looked over at Amy who was also giving him a stern look, before he sighed…

"Yeah me too, I'll just give John a call, he should be able to help get me out there without bein' too noticeable. But ain't gonna be much of a trip for me, can't even order room service."

"Would you do it for a cheesy poof?" Serena waved a mostly empty bag in front of him.

"You've gotta be kidding…" His eyes slowly followed the bag as she swayed it back and forth even as he said it.

"How about the 'last' cheesy poof?" Serena smiled taking it out of the bag.

Dimmer whimpered, sounding a little too similar to a wolf pup, which made everyone wince, and also gave him a chance to snatch the cheesy poof with out Serena looking.

"Hey! No!"

It was gone before she managed to say no.

"Awwww…."

Mina laughed with everyone else this time. They would get Chad back, but they needed some time off for a little while, that's all.

IN DIMMER'S ROOM

Dimmer was just finishing packing his gear, getting it ready to take with him, when something stirred inside him. He knew about the ghost that haunted those hot springs, he remembered the episode clearly. We're Darien and Serena in love yet? Could they take that thing on if Darien still had doubts? Would the spirit even wake up without an evil prince Darien to wake it?

"You ask a lot of questions, and offer no answers."

Dimmer looked around quickly.

"If an answer you really seek, than you must look within yourself."

A sudden sense of foreboding, told him to look behind him, and there it was. Himself… it was his dagger lying up against a mirror. He knew he hadn't left it there.

"I don't want you, or your answers, I thought we had an understanding."

"As did I, but you don't remember 'that' do you. Is the past week such a blur to you?

"You… you know the memories I'm missing?"

"Yes, 'you' do." The voice chuckled.

"The answers you keep giving are only questions in themselves. You're no use to me." Dimmer hated riddles, he figured Sundown found out about that, and now spoke in them out of spite

"A blade, a blade that absorbs negative feelings, that becomes more powerful every time they are absorbed, has no answer for you?"

"What are you blabberin' on about?"

"The blade in front of you fucktard!" The voice grew insistent, as if every thing it spouted off, as if he should have known long ago. "The blade called Tanoc. Bring it, it will cause you no harm. Your wings will be a terrible handicap against such a foe, do you wish to have them ripped out of your back, after just finally realizing your gift?"

"Why?" Dimmer arced an eyebrow now, the voice seemed a little desperate. "Why not let the girls handle it? They're all well trained, and Darien will be there too, he's my best student. Transformed, there's none better.

"Do you not see?! There is nothing any of them can do against it! The priestess will try to exorcise it, but it has hundreds of years of strength behind it, she will fail! Even their mightiest will fall… Rei, Rei will fall…"

Left in shock, Dimmer stood dumbfounded, the voice sounded remorseful. It was Sundown that had always let him know Rei was in trouble before, it was Sundown that always gave him the power to help! The sadness, the quiet pleading tone to the voice, it was something that was never there before. Furthermore it was right.

"If Darien falls against, there ain't nothin' anyone can do…None of the scouts are strong enough compared ta him, no matter how much extra training Lita's had while I was outta it…" Dimmer spoke out loud his thoughts.

"There is one who is stronger than Tuxedo Mask…"

Dimmer looked at the dagger, and the mirror behind it. There was something in the eyes of his reflection, something dark, and resolute. Something that held pain and misery, and spoke of torment and abuse. Something that spoke of an eternity of running. He picked up the dagger and put it in his backpack, tucked away between the folds of the towels. Something in those eyes… wanted to protect 'her' above all else… he couldn't agree more.

SOMEWHERE ELSE

"A mysterious power?" Beryl asked.

"Yes my Queen, dark and similar to ours but something very different… very distinct…"

"Well done Malachite. Send someone to check this out, see if we can use this power to our own benefit."

"Yes my queen." Malachite bowed, and faded away.

"Yuuichiro."

"Yes my queen?"

"It is time to do what you are best at. Prove your loyalty to me, and steal the crystals the scouts have, use this to help you."

"What's this?" Chad looked at the dark crystal that appeared in his palm, and looked up at Beryl questioningly.

"Your inability to sense powers, or supernatural, makes you at a disadvantage. The dark crystal can sense the crystals for you, and more then that, the crystal bearers."

"What use are the crystal bearers to us now?"

"You are a bit behind in some of the facts of the Negaverse Yuuichiro. Let me catch you up on the story of the seven shadows..." She ended with an evil laugh that echoed off the stone cold walls of her cave.

NOT SO FAR AWAY FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE

Malachite teleported into Zoicite's room without warning, she hadn't been out of her room in days. Her temper was horrible in the best of times, and to be showed up by some rookie was more of a shame than she could imagine. Malachite hoped to give her the chance she was waiting for to redeem herself.

"Zoicite?"

"Yes Malachite?" She looked up in surprise.

"I have an assignment for you. Come with me…"

"Where are we going?" She demanded as she stood up.

"To seek out a new power, perhaps a use against the scouts. If it is what I expect, we will be able to come up with a much better plan then those we have had lately…" Malachite laughed, if it was what he thought it was… The scouts were going to have a hard time indeed…

RANDOM NEGAVERSE PLOT POINTS COMPLETED

It was a bit painful, but at least there was some control over them now. Where John had gotten the idea, Dimmer had no clue. Didn't much care either, with his wings wrapped around the front of his body in such a way, John had slipped his hand-me-down detective's trenchcoat over his shoulders, and a buttoned up the front of it, letting the empty sleeves hang loose. The trenchcoat was far too big for Dimmer normally, but with the wings taking up a large amount of the room, he simply looked a little eccentric, instead of like an angel. Which was good, the last thing Dimmer wanted, was people to start thinking of 'Ultimate Good' whenever they saw him. After all the dagger he carried, far from represented anything like the Ultimate Good.

John had quickly agreed, as it turned out that Pidge had already scheduled a time to go up to the same springs that day as for treatment for his legs.

John and Pidge now sat up front in the squad car, John borrowed to use the police HQ's gas for the trip instead of his own. And now Pidge was trying his best to give John pointers on staying calm when there was a steering wheel in front of him. The screeching tires, and angry yelling of other drivers showed proof on how well the lesson was going. Meanwhile, between instances of holding on for dear life, there was an awkward silence in the backseat as Dimmer sat looking down, and taking small glances at the one looking out the window beside him… why had she volunteered of all the scouts?

Serena's car was full so someone had to go with him. Anyone of them would have prevented this awkward silence. Lita, he got along great with, he could teach her tips in the car on the way, her love for martial arts matched his own.

Serena would've had a corny joke fight, and they would have played the whole way up. Rei would have made up with him for their little misunderstanding this morning, and even when they were silent it didn't feel awkward at all. Amy would continue to scold him for that morning, and more than likely give some useful tips to him for some weird thing he had never thought about before…

…so why Mina?! And without Artemis?

(the mooncats opted for a quiet night at home, doubting they'd enjoy the bath as much as everyone else)

The window to the front of the car he could have used to talk John and Pidge had slammed shut after their first right turn after leaving Mina's house as the car went up on two wheels. So now he was trapped with the one scout he had no ties with what so ever as she stared out the window thinking about who knows what…

"It doesn't help that she's a freakin model" he thought frustrated at the situation, "She'll think I'm a complete pervert if I do nothing but glance at her like this…"

He sighed. It was a two hour trip to the hot springs, and he was sure it was going to seem a LOT longer if things didn't change from current status.

Man this is so boring. Mina thought it to herself as she looked out the window, then tightened her grip on the door handle as a sharp left came up. "Jeez I don't know what's going to kill me first, this guys driving, or boredom!" she stole a glance at Dimmer. Was he just looking at her? Probably. She sighed. This was useless. This was supposed to be Chad's best friend? They were nothing alike! What did Rei see in this guy? or Amy, or even Artemis for that matter! Everyone seems so impressed with him for some reason or another.

She turned her head and openly stared at him as he tried to steal another glance at her, quickly looking back toward his feet blushing more than a little.

Mina smiled and held in a small laugh. Okay, one point for being cute, and another for the shyness. And he's definitely interesting, with all these mysterious transformations, he knows nothing about, but that's really more trouble than its worth… She sighed out loud, "I just don't get it."

"Huh? Get what?" Dimmer looked up, eager for some kind of conversation.

"OH! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud!"

"It's okay."

They both fell into an embarrassed silence this time for another half hour before Dimmer simply got too frustrated with it.

"This is stupid isn't it?"

"Huh? What is?" Mina looked at him questioningly. The shy quality he showed earlier was replaced with a resolute, and determined look.

"There is no real reason to be giving each other the silent treatment, like this. There's gotta be SOMEthing we can talk about. It's not like we don't know anythin' 'bout each other, so why not just take turns askin' and answering questions?"

"Okay… ummm… me first though, alright?" She thought for a second.

Dimmer nodded.

"Well I heard the story on how you arrived and but, I really don't know much about you or your transformations, or anything much like that at all… Everyone seems to get along great with you, and I well… Compared to the rest of you I'm a late arrival to everything, I can't help but feel left out in a lot of things when it comes to you."

"Right now, you actually know more about me than I do than." Dimmer gave out a sarcastic laugh, "Okay, You know about my amnesia period when I first arrived right?"

Mina nodded.

"And you know, well… about the false charges of rape…" He said quietly.

"Yeah, but it's the transformations, and... And your link with Chad I don't get…" She looked toward her own feet now, she didn't mean to say 'his' name.

Dimmer gave her a questioning look that slowly turned into an all out grin, as she started blushing under his scrutiny.

"No way, he couldn't know! Not just from that!" She was trying hard to keep the blush forming on her face, but the more she tried to calm down, the more hot her cheeks seemed to grow…

"You gotta t'ing fer Chad don't ya!"

"No! I mean yes… I mean… how did you know?" she bit her lip cutely and looked up at him.

"Heh, the fact that NO one except Amy ever even thinks about that link. I'm surprised anyone would remember it existed."

"I don't see how…"

"And your blushing really gave it away, understandable though, after all, we're both like this." he crossed his fingers and stuck them out the collar of the coat so she could see, "If there's dirt on Chad ya wanna know, I know it, if there's gift ideas, or advice, I'm good for it. Just go ahead and ask."

"Nothing like that, not right now at least, I just want to know if he's okay."

Dimmer smiled appreciatively, than looked down at his hand. "He's… Chad's fine. He's changed… he's more powerful now, my hand pulses with the feeling of his power… As he is now, all of you would find it hard to take him down, though I think Serena could match him for speed, but that isn't the most dangerous part about Chad, it never was. It's his accuracy that's freakin' scary part."

"What do you mean? You can tell all that just from the link?"

"We made a promise, we swore over my dagger, that I'd tell him every time something was going down. Since we weren't specific about it though, the dagger shows us ANY new thing happens to us. We even get a hint of each others emotions from time to time, and take on a few of each others traits."

"So that's how he got your accent!"

"Nah, the accent's just catchy."

They both laughed.

"So what is he feeling right now?"

"Curious, I think he's receiving orders of some kind. Also he's wondering why his power is surging right now, He suspects it has something to do with me."

"Does it?"

Dimmer gave her a sarcastic look, and handed her a faintly glowing feather.

"Oh, yeah, forgot about them." She sweatdropped.

"I feel like, if I knew how, I could bathe half the planet in a bright white light Mina. The power held in these wings are beyond anything I can put into words. I want to train, I want to learn how to use them, how to control them…"

"A little power hungry aren't we?"

"Mina…" He picked up a dried out cherry blossom that had found its death in winter and somehow managed to make its way unto the squad car's floor mat. He turned it back and forth in his hand and slowly it began to retake shape, it seemed to grow and flourish, and regain it's color pink color, he out it in her hand after he was done, and did the jacket back up.

"Oh wow! Do you know how…?"

"Not a clue. Just knew I could. There's so much about these things I don't know, so much I have to learn, I can't just let them sit there… You seen Knight's Valor, he had wings too, but when they extended from his back, they didn't take half his back with them. It's like space itself bent around them… and he could also hide them just as easily"

"They're so beautiful…" She held the feather and the cherry blossom in her hand.

"Yeah, there's a price. Why I really want to learn to control them…."

It was her turn to give him a questioning look.

He took her hand and touched the petal in her palm. She watched as it suddenly withered and died, and turn to smoking ash in her hand, she yelped and quickly dropped what was left onto the floor mat and looked back up at him frightened.

"Yeah, scares me too. I can't use these things, I don't know what'll happen. It's like time speeds up, turns back, or whatever, I don't even know which. Death, life, it's like I suck the light right out of things, or pour light into it. If I could just meet Valor again… he could teach me. They're dangerous. Powerful beyond anyone can imagine… I have no idea where they came from, I wish I could remember, but all I remember from the last few weeks is darkness, darkness and the taste of blood…"

She shuddered, she knew all too well what memory that came from, She remembered watching him tear out chunks of Talenite, and swallow them whole, blood staining white fur…preferring to talk about anything else, she changed the subject quickly, "What about Sundown, how did he come about? Where did you get that dagger come from? You know, I've only ever heard of your transformation into Sundown, I've never been around to see it."

"Really?" Dimmer looked up as if able to see through the car ceiling. "The Dagger is the key. It's like a physical link to that alter ego… Sundown is an endless amount of guilt, disappointment, and pain that has come throughout my life, as far as I can tell... Valor and Sundown told Rei that I'm not a whole person, that I was meant to be much stronger than I am. I don't understand it myself, but apparently Knight's Valor is a part of me, like a persona of the times when I was known as Arkand, to friends and family. Sundown is just like him, in that respect. A lost part of me, that seems to have taken a mind of its own. What lost part of me, I don't even know."

"It makes sense from what Valor told us all yesterday.

Dimmer nodded as he tried to think back on the dream that got him the dagger. "Had this dream one night, 'bout a dagger, 'bout darkness. There was no noise, no sound, and I've never felt more alone than I did there. And a dagger, blacker than night, with a swiveled blade. I touched it, and the pain started. A loss of air, choking, enveloped in the same blackness of that dagger. Than I got this feelin', they were in trouble, She was in trouble. I rushed there. It was my first taste of power, and there was nothing that compared to it."

Dimmer looked down again lost in thought.

"Sundown, a combination of every negative feeling I've ever experienced, There's a lot of pain to transform into him. So Rei thought it was a good idea to no longer depend on him. I agreed, and have, since then, blocked him away."

"Wow! Your dream came true?!"

Dimmer blinked, "huh?"

"Your dream came true! You dreamed about a dagger, and it came to you! I know it wasn't that great of a dream, but still! It was a dream Dimmer. Doesn't that just give you a little bit of hope? Knowing for a fact that dreams really can come true?"

"I never thought it like that…" He thought for a second than frowned. "Even if dreams come true though… what are the chances of two coming true for the same person?"

"Not very good, I'd figure." Mina smiled, "So now I guess you'll have to look forward to your friends dreams coming true."

"Heh, saying it like that, that don't sound too bad. How about you Mina? Any dreams you lookin' forward to comin' true?"

"Me? I have so many dreams I wouldn't know which one to ask to come true."

"Really?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"That… that sounds like a great problem to have." He smiled a sad, soft smile. One that spoke of hurt and regret, but the light in his eyes, the small upturned corner of his mouth, that turned a melancholy look into a smile, it spoke of hope, in spite of everything else that might go wrong. It told of the hope that true happiness existed, and it was right around the next corner. It spoke of never giving up, and in that way, that smile reminded her of Chad. Mina smiled. She could see why everyone worried about him now.

He turned back to her. "So how does Sailor V get her own video game anyway?"

"Save a couple game designers from a hostage situation, once, and no one ever lets you forget it." She laughed.

"Heh, awesome."

"But at least I have my parents here, you just landed all by yourself."

"Well Amy was there for me the moment I crawled out of my crater, and John and Pidge too. When I think about it, I was lonelier at home than I ever was here. So what kind of things did you hunt up in England?"

"Same thing mostly. The Negaverse doesn't hold much ground in other places, there might be 3 in all of Europe. So to track them Artemis and me had to use a different approach. They tried to gain control of the underground, gain the help and energy of the gangs in and around my area. I imagine it's the same way in America and Canada too. Eventually, following the gangs, everything pointed to the Yakuza. Almost all the clans in Japan have some link or way to contact the Negaverse. All except the one family that seems to rule this island, and that's just because they don't like to share power."

"Never knew you were such a detective."

"I'm not, but Artemis can spot a clue a mile away."

"Really? That white ball of fluff holds a few surprises don't he? So who is this 'all powerful' family that rules Japan from the shadows?"

"Thought you said you knew all I wanted to know about Chad." She stuck out her tongue playfully.

"Chad? What does he have to do with this?"

"The Family that rules Japan, is called, Yuuichirou!"

"You're kidding?" Dimmer deadpanned.

"Nope. He's got all kinds of underground contacts where he gets his stuff, and Daybreak has even been making a name for himself on the street, go ahead and ask anyone! They'll all tell ya the place has really been cleaned up lately, that some lone trenchcoated man, "shines like the dawn that sends the cockroaches scurrying to back their holes." She took the best heroic stance she could in the back seat of a car, and dramatic lights flared behind her.

"Tell me that isn't his call line…" Dimmer smacked himself in the forehead and laughed.

"Oh? I think it's kind of cool!"

Dimmer smiled, "Yeah well when compared to "I will punish you!" You're right it's pure call line gold."

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?!"

"It means it sounds like you girls are just asking for some pervert to put you guys in a S&M bondage scene in any movie they may make on ya."

Mina paled.

"And oh man, think about the cos-players that would have fun with that one! Don't be surprised if you see your sailor fuku at the half off sale of a local lingerie store in the near future."

"I will punish you, sounds nothing like that!!" Mina clenched her eyes shut, and shouted in his ear, small tears of embarrassment at the corners of her eyes.

Dimmer just laughed.

"…didn't even think you 'could' think of things like that." She got a small evil glint in her eye and smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Dimmer stopped laughing abruptly.

"Well… lets see, a guy who's friends with and trains with 5 gorgeous school girls…" She flipped her hair up a little at him. "and never even tries to take a peak at them, or even stares a little too long. I was simply beginning to wonder about your ahem orientation."

"Wha..?" Dimmer gave her a blank stare, "hey! I'm going out with Rei! And unless you know something about her that I don't…"

"Oh that's right, you are, aren't you? And it only took you how many months of 'living' with her for you to make any kind of move?"

"I… b.. but.."

"I guess it could be you're just very VERY slow," Mina said almost whistling innocently while she said it, "but for a while I thought Rei wasn't my only competition with Chad."

Dimmer choked, and it was Mina's turn to laugh. Dimmer tried, incoherently, to state every factor concerning his relationship with Rei, mostly spouting off random stuff about age, different dimensions, and time, but with her laughing like that, it all seemed like inconsequential excuses to hold back. Soon enough he was laughing too, how come it all seemed so stupid now, when it seemed logical and problematic then?

"You know, they never showed this side of you on the show."

"Really Dimmer," Mina winked, "Don't you know better than to believe everything you see on t.v.?"

ARRIVAL

"The hot springs!" Serena cheered as she stepped out of her parents car, it took three cars to get them all out there, and only her family was gonna stick around.

"Wow there sure are a lot of you staying here." Serena's father said trying to keep up a smile. He was a little disappointed, he wanted this to be more of a family trip, and when Serena invited all of her friends along… and this 'BOY!' The worst thing was his wife didn't even seem slightly concerned he was in college! He knew all too well the way college boys were. No matter how respectable he looked.

He looked over at his wife who was asking Serena to invite him over for Dinner sometime, and paled.

"Why couldn't it be someone like Melvin…" he grumbled, than spotted Dimmer getting out of a squad car with Mina, and looked from the officers to Serena and Darien, and then back to the officers. "or at least something that isn't illegal!"

The plains clothes officers, one in a wheelchair, laughed and joked with Dimmer a bit before leaving to get in their room.

"Luckily they didn't notice the way Serena's arm was latched on to the college kid" he thought. All the girls had grouped together to talk babble on about the usual things they blabbered on about. When the young man with long dark colored hair had come up to introduce himself.

"Hey, uh, Mr. Tsukino? I know this was supposed to be a family outing, and we're all sorry to impose."

He wasn't sure who this young man was, and he seemed rather strangely dressed, wearing the trenchcoat that was obviously too big for him like it was some kind of cloak, but at least he was polite.

"Oh, it's no trouble. If having all of her friends here helps Serena relax and stop stressing out so much, I don't mind. I'm afraid I don't know your name."

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I ain't from Japan so I'm still getting used to introducin' meself first. The name's Dimmer, Dimmer Kitana."

"Alex, Alex Tsukino. You speak Japanese very well" -If a little heavy on the accent- he thought, "Mind if I ask where you're from?"

"Nova Scotia, Canada."

"Ah, what brings you to Japan?"

"Uuh… I just kinda dropped over for a visit," Dimmer smiled nervously, than looked over at the girls, "though it's seems to be turning into more of a permanent thing now that I got a job with the Hino temple."

"Oh? Well I'm glad you're enjoying yourself so much here."

"Thank you. My associates and friends, Officers John Saotome, and Pidge Himura asked me to give you this for agreeing to chaperone everyone here." Dimmer handed him a small package.

"Oh? Well there wasn't any need for anything like that, but that was very kind of them, I'll have to thank them later. Thank you." He opened that box and inside were all the keys to the room and receipts of the already paid for trip to the hot springs.

"They said if you have any other expenses, including gas for the trip here, or room service, just put the receipts in the box and they'll make sure you're compensated for it."

Dimmer waved good bye to Serena's father who still stood in shock while looking at the box's contents.

NOT FAR AWAY… POSSIBILY BY A MOOSE…(DO THEY EVEN HAVE MOOSE IN JAPAN?) A JAPANESE MOOSE?

Two Negaverse Generals stood close to one another in front of a statue down by the lake shore. Many people would come down here for romantic walks and the cool breeze by the water. It was ironic, how none of the couples that came down this way ever knew just how much danger they were in.

"The power of the evil here is staggering…"

"Yes Zoicite, what is ironic, is it isn't even one of ours. It has nothing to do with the Moon Kingdom, or the Negaverse. A monster, a purely human monster…"

"How many of these exist? These humans that expressed too much negative feelings, so much hate, so much love, and anger."

"We don't know, but it matters not. If human spirits can become immortal, and this powerful, just from negative emotions, than with pulling the right strings, the Negaverse will rule here before the invasion even starts." He laughed, "These humans will be the death of themselves."

"But uncontrollable, there is no way to control these spirits, can they really be that much use against the scouts if we cannot command them to attack them?"

"We've had much time to study the scouts Zoicite, You know them better than almost anyone else. How do you think they'll react if they hear about a monster attacking innocents? Whether ours or not?"

"They'd come to attack it! We don't need to get them to attack them, just set them loose! It's genius, they're the perfect decoy!"

"Their list of allies has grown long, and the quite powerful, any plan we make we have to take a small army with us just to have a chance of succeeding, and whatever we bring is not enough."

"But if they fall for the decoy, we'll be free to execute our plans…"

"And if they don't their forces will still be split. And we can crush them." Malachite clenched his fist tight, as if he were imagining them in his palm. "But Zoicite, I have no time to complete this task. I am to monitor Yuuichirou's behavior, to make sure he doesn't return to the scouts. Do not begrudge him, if Beryl succeeds, he will be a powerful ally. But you, if you can bring this plan to fruition…"

"I can regain my glory in her eyes…" Her eyes shone with pride, she would once again be the respected warrior she always was. "Malachite… Thank you"

"You maybe the key to winning this war Zoicite, cause as much havoc as you can. Collect their energy after the scouts find away to beat them, there's bound to be much to gather from these spirits. I will not see you lost to eternal slumber."

"Even that kind of death doesn't frighten me Malachite, not compared to the embarrassment these scouts have already caused me. I will not fail again." Zoicite nodded with a confidence she had been lacking for a very long time.

"Than I will leave the rest to you." Malachite nodded in return, with a smile, and teleported away.

Zoicite looked out over the calm surface of the water… yes, this she could not fail at. Causing open havoc… this was much more her style.

The baths were separated into three sections, mixed baths, the male side, and the female side, and in that order, paper walls had been set up between them to section them off. Serena had opted to go into the mixed baths with her family. She knew how much her father wanted them to have some family time, so in her own way she was thanking him for the trip.

The rest of the scouts had gathered into the girl's section, while Dimmer and Darien, relaxed alone in the guy's side.

Family time at Serena's house tended to be quite loud, as the scouts listened to Serena and her little brother pick on each other. The scouts had no worries of her family hearing their conversation over the ruckus.

"Maaaaaaan! I want to stay in here until I turn into a prune!" Lita yawned and stretched.

Amy laughed, "Yes, It is very nice to take some off time from our studying, training, and fighting."

The others sweat dropped, studying was the last thing on any of their agendas, but no matter what it alwaays seemed to come first on Amy's.

"Hey Rei, what's up?" Mina rested her arms on the side of the bath, and talked up at Rei who hadn't gotten into the water yet.

"Huh?"

"You've been staring out to the lake for the last ten minutes, the view is nice, but it isn't 'that' nice."

"Oh, It's nothing to worry about. Just a legend about this place came to mind"

"Really?! What kind of legend?"

"A sad story of unrequited love, and a spirit that was sealed in that lake a very long time ago. I can feel the ghost's presence."

"What?!" the girls yelped in unison.

"Rei," Lita's eyebrow twitched as she grabbed Rei by the shoulders putting a little pressure on her.

"Uuuh yes? Lita?" Rei asked nervously.

"That's not what I want to hear on my vacation!" Lita yelled as she flipped Rei into the middle of the bath.

Rei came up waving her hands to hold Lita off as she continued to walk towards her, instinctively making the action of rolling up sleeves she wasn't wearing.

"No Lita, don't worry! That spirit has been asleep for a century, and it's still asleep! I was just wondering if the legend was true or not!"

Lita tapped Rei on the head anyway, "You shouldn't say things like that then! Don't you know you're just asking for trouble when you do?!"

Darien looked at Dimmer, as he tried to stretch out his wings a little and gasped at large particular pain in his left one. Darien sighed.

"Dimmer, you don't fiddle with a broken arm, and you're not supposed to do it with a broken wing either, just let them be."

"Sorry, just hard to lean back against things if I don't move them a little."

"I can see how that would be a problem." Darien chuckled. "So what do you make of this spirit, Rei was talking about?"

"Lita's right to be worried, seen this episode, the Negaverse wakes it, Serena's family is in trouble. She saves them. Apparently the scouts show up in time to help, but it isn't enough, than with your love and Serena's, you set the spirit into the afterlife. But before the scouts never came until later, and you're the one who wakes the spirit 'cause you were workin' for the Negaverse at the time. Chad ain't never been that intuned with the spiritual side of things, so I doubt he could even sense it exists, let alone wake it."

"I'm with the Negaverse at the time…?"

"Right."

"And it's mine and Serena's love that save it?"

"Yup."

"But she's my enemy, and I want to destroy her at the time."

"Yep."

"So why…?"

"You're supposed to want to defeat her all in your own time."

"But why wouldn't I just…?"

"I don't know, you don't know, I half suspect the writers of the show didn't know. But I doubt you'd get very high ratings if 'Prince Darien' just went over and nonchalantly put a rose through her skull."

"Oh." Darien deadpanned.

"It's not about making sense, it's about making ratings. And it worked, not that it matters anymore. Either way we should keep our guard up so the scouts can let theirs down for a bit."

"What about your wings?"

"…"

"Dimmer..." Darien leaned in, "You're planning something…"

Dimmer bit his lip, and gestured to Darien to not make a sound. It wasn't often Dimmer let people in on what his plans were unless he needed them. Darien gave him a serious look and nodded his understanding. If Dimmer needed this kept secret from the girls, then it was going to be something they wouldn't like. He understood. Sometimes that was necessary.

Dimmer reached over under a small bundle of towels he had put there earlier, and pulled out a familiar dagger.

"You shouldn't have brought that," Darien narrowed his eyes, and whispered harshly.

"Sundown…" Dimmer took a breath nervously, worried that saying that name alone could invoke that other 'him' back into possession of his body. The hesitation was only slight, but it was enough for Darien to know Dimmer was not taking the situation lightly. "HE, doesn't have wings. It's best this way, this knife will effect anything with negative emotions. That's the way it works."

"I see then, it's perfect against spirits…"

"It's only just in case. Let's hope nothing happens."

"The chance of that?"

"…"

"Dimmer…"

"What are the chances of Serena not hanging off you, starting from now and lasting for the rest of the weekend?"

"Right, should I transform now, and just go down to the beach and wait five minutes, or should we just transform dramatically at last second." Darien gave Dimmer a flat look.

"I'd prefer the later option, there's a chance, a small chance, but a chance."

"That isn't a chance Dimmer, we're talking a hypothetical ninth wonder of the world here."

"Ninth?"

"The eighth was you."

"Oh."

"What are they talking about?"

"Shh! Lita! I can't hear, they're whispering about something…"

"You two really shouldn't be spying on the boys like that, you'll only encourage them to do the same!" Amy shook her head watching Lita and Mina try to figure out what Dimmer and Darien were talkin about, and find some way of looking around the paper wall put there to section the baths off, without being obvious about it.

"Oh Amy you're such a worry wart." Mina waved the reproach off.

"Yeah, Aimes. Lighten up, scared of a little fun?" Lita winked, "We got two hunks in the next bath over, and you're going to try to tell me you aren't even a little bit curious?"

"I..! I never …uuh.. Rei?!" Amy blushed profusely and pleaded for the raven-haired girl to step in.

"…"

Amy's eyes widened as Rei's only reaction to the comment was to blush deeper than Amy was and sink further into the spring, before giving her a sympathetic smile and make her way towards the other two.

"Have you tried looking under the wall? See if they partitioned the spring water too!"

"Hey good idea Rei, hold on I'll check..." Lita took a big breath and ducked under the water. After a few seconds Lita came back up for air, and gave everyone a thumbs up.

The three of them chattered amidst themselves, of what they could or would do now. They had discussed it for the last ten minutes before Amy grew a little anxious.

"Are you actually going to… you know…peak?" She blushed a crimson shade of red just asking about it.

"Don't worry Amy." Rei laughed, "The fun is in knowing we could if we really wanted too."

"Dare ya?" Mina smiled to Lita, completely ignoring both Amy and Rei.

"Hey, no way!" Lita quickly rejected the notion, "well… not alone at least…"

The two giggled to themselves, as Rei edged nervously away, while Amy sank herself further into the spring, until the water covered most of the flush in her face. When all of a sudden came a shrill scream from the side of the springs Serena and her family were bathing in.

"SAMMY!" Serena yelped, as he took off with her towel. "Sammy! You little brat! Get back here!"

The worst part was all their parents did was laugh! All she did was dunk her little brother, once! Now he had to take it to an extreme!

Sammy stuck out his tongue at his older sister as he waved her towel in front of her. He skidded to a stop beside a do not run sign, and smiled as his older sister barged out of the spring naked as a jay bird, not thinking before she leapt as usual.

Serena was always teasing Sammy, when she actually noticed him. Well that was only part of the reason he did this kind of thing to her. The truth was he liked the teasing, a little, it was the fact that the only time Serena ever even noticed he existed was when she was pulling some kind of prank on him, or trying to take his turn while playing his favorite Sailor V game. And it's a simple fact all kids like attention whether good or bad, and if he couldn't receive any good attention from her, then…

But none of this was on Sammy's mind, all he was looking for was a bit of fun, and to embarrass his older sister a little.

Of course, he didn't want to get hurt in the equation, so when he seen the "no running" sign, and noticed the slippery walkway, he waved his arms frantically calling for his sister to stop. He would have been just as successful waving down an oncoming freight train.

Serena for her part tried to stop, but only skidded a little before tripping over her little brother, throwing them both, in a mess of arms and legs, towards Lita, Mina, and Rei who were standing in front of the partition.

Towels flew up while the partition came down with a splash.

Lita, Mina, and Rei stood frozen in time, as their towels floated down around them, with Sammy planted face first in the water between the three, while Serena looked like she was going to fall dangerously into the shallow water. Darien was there and had caught her before he had been able to think about her state of dress.

"Uh… heh… hi?" Dimmer gave a nervous smile to the naked girls, and waved slightly in greeting, blushing quite heavily as he took in the sight. He seen enough anime to know too well where this was going. He began scrambling his way over to the far side of the spring, but with the aid of bad luck and wet surfaces. By slipping on the hot spring floor and over his wildly, uncontrollable, flapping wings, he splashed a lot but made very little progress toward the edge of the spring. (kinda looked like a struggling duck really…)

Rei's temper was brimming as she picked up her towel, and tried to cover herself with one hand with it as she clenched her other hand up in a tight and angry fist "Dimmer… you… PERVERT!!"

Dimmer was launched into the hotel, ala Rei's airlines, and Darien was stuck holding Serena, as her father came over to check, what was going on. Lucky for Darien, her father fainted after first seeing the rest of the junior high girls going around picking up their towels. What scared Darien most, was his wife picking up her husband and winking at him before going back to their side of the bath.

"Darien?" Serena asked dizzily, looking up at his face. "Darien, you saved me!" She hugged him tightly.

"I gotta go!" His face went as red as a tomato, before plopping her down and taking off after Dimmer into the hotel, trying his best to keep his towel on, which had become a much more difficult task than it was five minutes ago.

"How come no one even notices I'm here?" Amy and Sammy sighed together, as they sat beside each other.

"Oh hello." Amy smiled at the 11 year old boy beside her.

(okay, I have no idea how old Sammy really is, but he looks that age)

"Oh, uh, hi!" He smiled back he stuck out his hand, "Sammy Tsukino."

"Amy Mizuno. You're Serena's little brother? She hardly mentions you."

"That's no surprise," He mumbled, his tone got noticeably lighter as he spoke to her though, "Serena talks about you all the time though. You've got the highest scores in your school on all your tests right?"

"Almost all of them," She corrected him remembering Greg.

"Wow… how in the world did you end up knowing Serena then?"

Amy just laughed, embarrassed.

"And that one's Mina right? Man does she looks like Sailor V! And Lita, she scares away the bullies for miles, I know her even from my schools reputation!"

"You know us all pretty well."

"Serena blabs about you guys all the time. I was beginning to think she was imagining you guys. Hey, why are there so many feathers in the pool? Wow! Are they glowing?!"

Amy paled as she realized how close Serena's parents came to knowing something they shouldn't have… "Uuuuh NO! No of course not! It's probably just some algae from the hot springs, They can make things luminescent! So they only appear to be glowing…"

"Really? Okay. I've never heard of algae that can do that before…"

Amy began to wonder if the two were really brother and sister, She was certain Serena would have been baffled by the mention of algae, let alone actually understand the word luminescent… "Well, if you would like, we can do some research into it together."

"What? You'd tutor me!" Sammy's face lit up.

The truth was Amy was only thinking of doing a small project with him, for his next science project, something small, after all she didn't have much time left between training, and her own studies, but the face he was making right then, She just couldn't say no. He really was Serena's brother after all.

"Get Serena to bring you over during the time I tutor her next Monday, and I'll see what I can do." She messed up his hair a little. "Now you should get out of here before the girls notice there's another young man left in here they forgot."

He nodded quickly, took a deep breath and swam under the partition back to his family's side.

"How do I keep getting myself into these things?" Amy asked herself smiling, she got up to go check on Dimmer.

DOWN THE PATH TO THE LAKESIDE WITH THE STATUE AND THE WATER AND THE BEACH AND THE MAIN PLOT OF THE CHAPTER… ECT... ECT… ECT…

He was in full sprint down the dirt path through the small-forested area that led to the lake. Fluke? Fate? He didn't know what to call Serena tumbling into the partition like she did, but it was enough. It had distracted everyone from feeling the presence arrive, the way the balance in the area had completely shifted. Something evil had been let loose, and Dimmer was certain he already knew what it was.

He felt more than heard the footsteps behind him, they were heavy set, someone tall, and moving close to the same rate of speed he was.

"I knew we should've just transformed and waited down there." Darien whispered as loud as he dared, knowing well that Dimmer was hoping to catch whatever it was by surprise.

"Forgive me for not wantin' ta look at your stupid get up again." Dimmer smiled, it was nice to know he did have some back up. His wings were being bent awkwardly behind him as he rushed down through the trail, and it hurt more than a little, but once again, he felt worse plenty of times before.

"Do you feel it? The Negaverse?" Darien ignored Dimmer's taunt as he sought for more information on the situation.

"No, I don't know anything about that kinda thing. Something else, something evil. Probably that ghost I was telling you about."

"Well, it's there. No youma, just a general I think."

"General? Bet I know which one."

Darien only nodded as he caught up beside him.

"Dammit, these wings, they're glowin' too much, I'll give us both away like this. You go ahead, distract 'em if you can, I'll be there as quick as I can…"

"You know the girls are going to be on their way right?"

"Yeah. Which means we'll have to be quick. If we're lucky I won't have ta use me dagger at all."

"Right." Darien pulled a rose from the pocket of the shirt that he had just slipped on before leaving, "You shouldn't run so hard, your wounds will open up again."

"Just go do yer job, I'll worry 'bout me." Dimmer watched him bound off and transform quickly, his cape of black offering some camouflage in dark shadows of the trees. Dimmer slowed down and picked up the top hat that was left behind, and smiled. "He's learning… Hey! Tuxedo Mask!"

Dimmer threw a black object quickly through the air, which the black clad figure caught easily. Tuxedo Mask turned his hand over cautiously, feeling the overwhelming sense of darkness, silence, and solitude that surrounded the black, swivel bladed dagger he now held in his hands. He looked at Dimmer questioningly from behind his mask.

"It still has power, even if it ain't in the hands of Sundown. It's a last resort for me, but it don't have to be for you. Use it if ya can!"

Tuxedo Mask nodded, and the dagger disappeared into his cloak, and he under the cloak of the shadows he had learned to fight in against the werewolf.

BACK AT THE POOL, AND AWAY FROM THE MAIN PLOT OF THIS CHAPTER, BUT HEADING THAT WAY SOMEWHAT NONETHELESS

Rei looked up suddenly, did something just happen? She wasn't sure, did she miss it? Sammy had fell into her and made her lose all concentration, and after Dimmer sat there and gawked, wings spread for all the world to see, she had to do something about it. Truthfully she didn't think she had to go as far as she did with it, but it was the first thing that came to her mind. Dimmer had suffered through much worse after all.

"Stupid…" She whispered to herself, "Stupid, stupid, stupid." She had to stop reading so much manga. She was walking through the hall towards Dimmer's room to apologize when Amy came out of his room wearing a frown.

"Hey Rei? Have you seen Dimmer?"

"What? No, I thought he'd be in his room…"

"I am afraid he isn't there, I just went in to check on him. You must be more careful with him Rei! Though his healing rate is beyond anything I've ever seen or heard of before, his wounds are far from healed, some are far from even being closed." Amy gave Rei a scolding look.

"I'm… I'm sorry… I… I don't know what I was thinking…" The look Amy was giving her was making her feel very uncomfortable. She had never been on the wrong side of one of Amy's scowls before. It made her feel like she was just a child. And after trying to prove to Dimmer she was so much more than a simple fourteen-year-old. She did NOT want to talked down to like one, let alone by someone in her same age group. The worse thing about it though, she knew Amy was right.

"Hey guys!" Serena was running down the hall Lita and Mina trailing behind her at a slower pace, "Did either of you see Darien come this way?"

"Not now meatball head! We're looking for Dimmer."

Serena stuck out her tongue in reply.

"Dimmer? Well we haven't seen him." Lita thought for a second.

"What is it Lita? You don't suppose they've run off together." Mina joked.

Lita paid no attention to the joke, while Serena, Rei, and Amy all paled at thought.

"No, not that, there are only two ways off this floor, Me, you and Serena were at one, and Amy, and Rei were over this way… how could Dimmer or Darien come through here without us seeing them?"

A strong gust of wind suddenly took everyone's attention toward the wide-open window staring out into the soon to be setting daylight.

"Darien's window was left open too…" Serena stared wide eyed at it.

"You don't think…" Rei's mouth went dry… "They really did..."

"No way!" Mina looked out the window in awe… "I thought it would be Chad if anyone… though Darien is a hunk, I guess he's just got good taste."

"NONONONONOOOO!!" Serena screeched at the top of her lungs, "IT'S NOT TRUE! IT'S NOT TRUE! IT'S NOT TRUE! IT'S NOT TRUE!!!"

"Serena! I'm sure it's something else, we have to go after them!" Rei growled and stomped toward the window, "It better be, for their sakes!"

Right!" Serena shouted as she followed Rei out the window.

The others stared out the window, sweatdrops present on all three.

"Do you think either of them realized were on the fourth floor, and they weren't transformed…?" Mina blinked.

"Well come on "Amy turned towards the stairs, "We'll have to go help them."

"Help who? Those two, or the boys?" Lita gave her a flat look before following after her.

"Who knows…"

DOWN BY THE BEACH… AGAIN!!

"Arise spirit! Reveal yourself to me! I release you of the bonds that hold you!" Zoicite stood in mid air above the water, laughing menacingly as she felt the evil below the water's surface awaken and come forth.

A beautiful maiden, with long flowing hair, arose from its slumber in a ghostly state. It stared at Zoicite for a moment, such hatred, and jealousy… How could earthlings become this powerful, and still be a race of weaklings! Its cold, angry stare sent a chill down her spine, and she smiled. She would be perfect.

"…Give him back." The ghost took a step toward Zoicite.

"Huh?" Zoicite was at a loss. "What are you talking about?! I don't have anyone of yours."

"GIVE HIM BACK!!"

"Really now, these dead humans can be so testy." Zoicite looked around quickly, she could feel the ghosts energy starting to rise. She was upsetting her somehow, just by being there. What was that?! She noticed it just in the nick of time, and just barely moved her head out of the way, and it still caught her cheek. She quickly brought a hand up, to stop the bleeding. She looked up at the ghost and noticed the maiden was looking down toward the water, something there had caught her attention. Zoicite looked to see what it was and squeezed her hand tight into a fist.

"You!" There lay a rose floating in the water. She looked toward the shadowed coastline and seen nothing, but there was no doubt who it was, "Where are you?! Where are you hiding?!"

There was no answer.

"Playing hide and seek are you?!" She shouted into the woods, "Well, if that's your game, I'll definitely play, and it looks like I'm it!"

A pink energy ball formed in her hands, it would be hard to hide in shadows if there was nothing there to cast them. She smiled to herself, they'd blame it on the ghost, the stupid humans still wouldn't recognize the invasion. The energy ball grew larger.

The ghost quieted now, unsure of what was going on, where was he? who was this woman? Where was he?! Where was SHE?! She looked this way and that, no longer concerned with the goings on of the one beside her.

She looked to the inn at the top of the hill, it seemed to be the only remnant left of the fishing village that was once here. THERE! That must be where they were hiding! She would chase them out, kill the woman who dare love him! She flew toward it, gracefully, and quickly, creating a wake in the water behind her without touching it.

"What?! And where the hell are you going?!" Zoicite yelled at it, and unleashed the energy she had gathered in a torrent of power toward the ghost. It passed right through her head, exploding into the statue at the head of the lake, shattering it to pieces.

The ghost looked at the broken pieces of the statue, mortified, and took a completely different form as she turned back to face Zoicite. Its hair floated around it in disarray, and its mouth grew fangs. Its hands grew huge with sharp claws extending from the tips of each finger, as its dress became tattered. It's face wrinkled up and turned into a horrifying expression, as her pupils were lost into black, black depths that had become its eyes.

It extended both hands towards Zoicite in a powerful gesture that sent some invisible force crashing into the water furiously straight toward, smashing into her and sending her flying into the horizon.

(Zoicite Team Rocket? …nah.)

Tuxedo Mask looked on from his hiding spot behind a large oak. The display of power from the spectre had surprised him, what were the Negaverse going to do by summoning powers that were beyond them?!

"Shit." It was all he could think to say as he watched it make a beeline for the inn. "looks like I have to distract this thing. HEY YOU!!" he shouted at it, and flung a rose, that passed through where its heart would have been.

The ghost looked toward him, in that frightful form. It screamed in a powerful fury. It's emotion was so powerful that it had kept her alive after death. It flew towards him, ready to shred him to pieces with its claws.

It passed right over him.

He didn't understand, it looked like it was searching for him! He looked down, to see himself blended in with the tree. It was that chameleon power of Sundown! It must be the blade that gave him that power, but Valor had said it's only use was transferring souls… maybe it was able to transfer more than just that…Perfect, he smiled. He could throw the dagger from here and probably accurately take out one of its eyes, but he wondered if it would work, what if it passed right through? He'd lose the dagger, and he sure couldn't stand up to the power that had just sent Zoicite flying! No he had to see if it worked first, which meant he'd have to get in close, and stab at it. If it worked, 'then' he could huck it at the ghost with abandon.

But it would have to be distracted first. As if fate wanted to mock him, the ghost came down and stared at him directly into his face, not two inches away. "Shit."

"Great, Murphy's law, whatever can happen, will happen, At the worse possible time." Dimmer watched the fight from up further in the woods, and saw Tuxedo Masks predicament. "I have to help him, but I can't do it like this… " Dimmer patted one of his wings. "Still I have to do something…"

TENSION BUILDING EVIL CLIFFHANGER TIME!

Somewhere in a desert on an archeological dig, one of the crystal carriers were digging among the rocks, too busy thinking about what she might have just discovered to notice the shadows of the two men suddenly appearing behind her.

"Yoink!" One grinned, while pulling out a dark crystal and pointing it at her. She only had time to scream before she was captured effortlessly inside of the dark prism.

"Yoink?" Malachite arched his eyebrow up in a questioning glance at Yuuichiro.

"Totally." His companion repeated in his surfer dude accent, and waved the crystal in front of his face, grinning almost stupidly.

Malachite, laughed, at the very least, this was going to be interesting.

MORE TENSION BUILDING EVIL CLIFFHANGER TIME!

By the time Amy, Mina, and Lita had made their way down the stairs, the other two were nowhere to be found, so they had split up to find either them or the boys.

Lita decided to hang back, just in case they came back to the inn, while Amy decided to check out the nearest store in case they had decided to go out and get some snacks, still not really believing that the two would run off together. Mina decided to see if they were on the lakeshore, taking a romantic stroll in the sunset.

As Mina wound her way through the woods, there was no sign of Serena or Rei, but someone had came down this way. The broken branches and footprints in the mud told her that much. She wished Artemis was here, he was so much better at this tracking thing than she was. Suddenly an explosion happened down by the lakeshore, and she could here some shouts and screams. She started to move at a faster pace, with each sound she heard, until she was in straight out sprint. She stopped suddenly, she recognized that presence!

Negaverse! But… it was going away… very far away… It didn't matter, if the Negaverse had something to do with it, she'd better get down there quick. But the sun was setting and the shadows were growing, trying to dodge the roots wasn't an easy job while trying to go at top speed. She tripped and stumbled her way as fast as she could through the darkening wood, only to trip and fall down hard, rolling off the path and into some bushes.

"Ow! Damn it!" She got up and shook her head to try to clear it. "It was than she spotted Dimmer spying on something from behind his hiding spot. She couldn't see what caught his attention, but he looked… determined? He looked down at the ground in front of him, than stood, with his eyes closed sweat dripped from his forehead. He looked ominous standing under the shadow of the tree.

"Sundown? Are you there? Can you hear me?" Dimmer asked himself quietly, than paused as if waiting for an unheard voice, and perhaps more frighteningly than that, seemed to answer it, "I don't trust you, you know that…"

Another pause.

"Yeah, yeah. Yes I trust myself, yes you are me, whatever. Look, you said you'd help me protect them, will you still?"

Another quiet pause to which Dimmer only gave a nod.

Mina looked on, and seen the specter flying around an oak tree. A ghost… What did the Sailor team know about taking out ghosts? Rei would know… She'd have to get word to her… Mina was taking out her communicator when Dimmer interrupted her thoughts as his voice spoke out once more, this time sounding as ominous as he looked.

"I am your event before death," quietly he growled out the words in a whispered tone that somehow everybody could hear, suddenly looking straight up toward the sky, his wings spread out involuntarily, his eyes no longer seemed like they were his own.

"I am the darkness that clouds your sight."

His clothing formed into a dark aura around him, clouding him from view momentarily

"I am the silence that echoes in your mind"

His voice strained, as the aura seemed to take the form of dark bandages, that surrounded him, tying themselves painfully tight to his body his skin wrinkled and tore from the strain of them in several places, he hung there in midair held up by the bandages. A black scarf entwined its way around his face, choking him, as it tied itself tightly over his mouth and nose.

"I am the solitude that envelops your soul."

His voice was little more than an understandable growl now, like a hybrid between his human and wolven halves-combined. The bandages formed into clothing, a black trenchcoat, and dress pants, and a dark, blood red shirt, underneath it.

"I am the end of your day, and the beginning of your night."

He drew a black trail of light left behind his finger he traced it in the air, until forming the light into a perfect circle.

"I am…"

The dark circle started spinning on his finger, until it came to a stop as he planted it over his head, turning into a long brimmed cowboy hat.

"Your Sundown!"

He took a final pose, against the trees the sunset practically gone, leaving streaks of red clouds behind him. His trenchcoat hung open and billowed into the wind. He seemed to notice Mina now, and she thought she could make out a smirk under the scarf. His wings were gone.

"I'm back."

"Dim… Dimmer?" Mina asked quietly.

The figure nodded its head.

"I… I see…"

"Good, you catch on quick. Maybe you might be able to be of some use." His tone held some condecending in it, but she did little to respond to it. If Sundown represented the power of Nightfall, then she could only imagine the power this dark figure had at bay. He continued, either not noticing or ignoring Mina's sudden caution and her sense of unbidden fearfulness, "Monkey boy is over hiding in the trees to our right, in front of our friendly neighborhood ghost, that decided to stop being so friendly. We have to distract it. Transform. We'll make quick work of this nuisance."

"Uhh… right! Sailor Venus POWER!" She called out and changed right then and there, uncaring of her sudden nakedness in front of the one before her, she had the feeling that somehow it wouldn't matter to him at all anyway. The yellow ribbons of power came and wrapped themselves around her, forming the famous Sailor V, who starred in so many video games. Her own long blonde hair was being played with by the shore breeze as she stood face to face with the one hero none of he sailor scouts ever wanted to see again. The one that continually caused their friend so much pain. The one that, she knew, would help her stop a disaster that night.

"We'll try to lead it toward the water, it can do less damage there, it has a form of invisible power that it strikes with, it may only be a ranged attack, but be careful not to get hit by it or you'll need airline tickets to get back here tomorrow. Understood?" The voice growled out from beneath the scarf, if she didn't know any better, it almost sounded protective. She nodded. This was the Dimmer she knew when she first arrived. The one willing to smash his students with boulders time and time again. Dimmer the jerk. Now she finally understood why. If he formed into this… this dark being too much, it would definitely have an effect on his personality.

"Hurry! You first, I'll cover you, when it gets too close, be wary!

She nodded again and jumped above the trees, and into the open. "This should get its attention. Venus crescent beam SMASH!!"

It passed through the monster, winking it out of existence, before coming back. The beam smashed into the tree, making Tuxedo Mask duck, but also giving him a chance to get away in the commotion. That chance he used well, quickly hiding through the debris and dust cloud the attack had made.

"GIVE HIM BACK!!!" The ghost screamed. There! There SHE was! "AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!!!!" she screamed in a banshee like way, causing everyone to suddenly stop in pain. Than she took off towards Venus, in a stunning display of speed. But Venus hadn't trained for nothing, and as Sailor Venus, she had more then enough speed to keep a good distance between the ghost and herself, she managed to lead it back to the beach and further away from the inn. The ghost noticed it, and angrily went to make the same powerful gesture she made towards Zoicite.

"Dark power… RELEASE!!!!" The voice came from nowhere, and so did the dark, chi-blast like ball that came speeding through the air after the ghost, once again making it wink out of existence for a moment, but stopping it from being able to finish its attack. The blast imploded into the water behind them.

The ghost came back with a haunting laugh taunting the heroes of light and darkness that now stood in front of it. It didn't notice the cloaked figure that appeared behind it.

"He 'is' learning." Sundown chuckled.

Somehow it must have sensed him behind her, be cause it moved, just barely in time, and yet still not quite quick enough to avoid the dagger's small blade all together.

Immediately Tuxedo Mask was on it digging the dagger through the spectral flesh of its shoulder, where the back of it neck had been. Spectral blood seemed to pour from its body, and Tuxedo Mask was trying to pull the blade out to make another attack, but it seemed stuck. It lit up in a light show of black power, it was like trying to pull the dagger from a vacuum, he could swear the blade was trying to suck it in to itself, and it wasn't stopping there! He could feel himself getting pulled into the dagger as well. He strained against the dagger, and the ghost screamed its banshee-like shriek, only this time in agony. Finally the dagger gave way, with one final massive pull and more than a small feat of strength from Tuxedo Mask it was flung up from his hands and into the air.

Sundown caught it, and it turned to his favored black bladed sword, which he quickly threw back at the ghost, pinning it to a large oak tree, by it's forehead. The ghost shrieked and wailed, grabbing the sharp blade with its bare hands, trying desperately to get it out, before the ghost seemed to burn into the oak it was pinned too.

The oak withered and died, emanating a large sense of evil.

"It sealed it into the tree…" Sundown frowned. "It was not what I expected."

"No." Tuxedo Mask managed to stand up after the severe mental Trauma. "It transferred its soul to the tree. That's what your dagger does Sundown. Though I believe it can transfer more than souls. I believe it can also transfer abilities, and possibly power, which is why it allowed me to blend into my surroundings like you do.

Sundown nodded. "and why it indeed lets me blend in like Talenite's lizards that I slayed with it. Quite observant, it may do us well to remember that, but apparently it's not only effective on those it puntures."

"You're telling us. I almost thought Tuxedo Mask would be sucked into the dagger as quick as that ghost.

We can't just leave this tree here like this, though, if it transferred the ghosts power too, it might still be able to hurt someone. " Venus thought aloud.

"Agreed. Rei should be able to exorcise it from there though."

"Okay. Her and Serena went looking for you two, I'll go check with Lita to see if they checked back in yet" Sailor Venus jumped into the woods, and became Mina once again, and headed up to the inn.

The two boys also de-transformed back into themselves, and stood silently watching the moon on the lake together.

"You finally lost the hat." Dimmer smiled.

"Yeah. You lost your wings."

"Yeah. Went in with Sundown and ain't come back out yet. Ya know, I know I ain't the greatest at giving out compliments and stuff, but I'm proud to say I taught ya. "

"More than you know Dimmer… more than you know." Darien stared at blankly at the water, remembering all too well the tactics he used against the wolf version of the young man beside him. The half that nearly killed him and everyone he held dear. But that was not the young man that stood beside him he reminded himself, just another of the many parts of mysteries that came along with knowing Dimmer. He smiled down at Dimmer, "And for that, I forgive you."

"S'at supposed to mean?" Dimmer looked Darien in the eye. Was someone finally gonna tell him what happened in the last two weeks?

It was to the sight of Dimmer and Darien staring into each others eyes on the moonlight beach Serena and Rei walked into.

"Dimmer! What do you think you're doing!?!" Rei shouted, and ran up to him and introduced his face to the sand in a most painful first impression.

"Darien! How could you?!" Serena went completely teary eyed and ran own the beach in the opposite way.

"How could I what?! Serena!" Darien sighed in frustration before chasing after her.

"OW! I can explain!" Dimmer spat out some sand, "He was in trouble! I had to use Sundown!"

"SUNDOWN?! WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT SUNDOWN!?!"

"Oh crap!" Dimmer sprinted up the trail towards the inn, an angry Rei hot on his trail.

Reviewer Response:

Logan Lazari: Normally I'd accept doing sketches for people no problem, but I'm afraid I've never even seen any of the knight riders or whatever stuff series before, so the sketches would be kinda frigged. On a better note glad you like the story thus far, hope it works out printing it on paper for ya… but ya know… that's a buttload of paper…

Himitsu-no-hi:

Hi again! First, yeah I'm glad the cpu stuff is sorted out again myself, it's too bad I gotta move again in a couple days, so it's bound to be a bit before I get online again… argh!

I'm really glad ya liked the changes to Sleeping Angels. I wasn't sure if it was a little too revealing or not, I just found the chapter had no real value to the over all story so I overhauled it. Still so many mysteries to unmask, I don't know if I'll have time for them all!

What's wrong with Fate? Thought he was a good guy… er… good many kids… er… good something like that… I think the main reason he goes by, he, they, it, Fate, Council, or Council of Fate, is cause I don't know what to call er… them… Once again thanks for the review I'm always glad to hear from ya, (thanks for the deviant review too!)

Hart:

Hey Hart, glad to read from ya again. Don't worry about getting the jokes from other anime series too much, I don't include it into any of the main story plots, and there's too few to bother with anyway. (btw if you think Inu Yasha has love triangles, try looking up some stuff on Ranma ½. It's by the same creator but freakin' yikes! It's more like a love hexagon… on steroids....)

I hope the tiny bit of action I threw into this chap was enough, it was more or less a joke filled chapter to make up for all those jokes I've been weeding out.

End notes:

'ey peoples. Been hard at work, and got a new chap already for ya, mind ya this is the first time I've updated without having the next chapter finished already… (not even started in this case) so it might be another good little bit before updating, so ya've all been forewarned.

Hope ya all enjoyed, and as per usual, please review!


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